2025 Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Lecturer Challenges Stakeholders to Shift Narrative from Women as Borrowers to Women as Investors

On Day 1 of the 2025 Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Memorial Lectures, Mrs. Josephine Anan-Ankomah made a bold call for a financial system that truly works for women. She underscored that the current system has long excluded women, not by accident, but by design and challenged stakeholders to shift the narrative from women as borrowers to women as investors and from financial literacy to financial mastery.

Key highlights of her lecture included a deep dive into the barriers limiting women’s financial power, such as institutional biases, financial illiteracy, restrictive banking models and outdated gender norms. 

Drawing from personal experiences and real-world examples, she underscored the urgency of intentional, data-driven financial inclusion strategies. She also highlighted the success of Ellevate by Ecobank, a financial initiative supporting women-led businesses and made a compelling case for policies that elevate women from participants to decision-makers in finance.

In her remarks, a member of the University Council, Mrs. Yvette A. Atekpe, who chaired the Lecture, highlighted the role of the lecture series in promoting critical dialogue on pressing issues facing Africa and the world.

Mrs. Atekpe noted that the theme aligned with global efforts to promote economic growth and gender equality while providing room for enlightening and thought-provoking discussions that would inspire meaningful conversations on women's financial empowerment and the need for inclusive, efficient and equitable financial systems.

Delivering introductory remarks, Registrar Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah indicated that this year's lectures mark the 42nd in the series and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to promoting intellectual debate and generating ideas that drive Africa’s development.

Day 1 saw the attendance of past and present university officials, relations of the Lecturer, members of the public as well as students of the University.

Discussions on Day 2 will shift from diagnosing the problem to identifying transformative solutions that ensure women gain access to financial resources and own their financial futures and lead economic decision-making.

The Lecture will culminate in the award of an honorary doctorate degree on the Lecturer during a Special Congregation.

Watch Day 1: https://youtu.be/dq4rU83PYaU