Pension funds are increasingly being encouraged to diversify their investment portfolios beyond traditional government securities into private equity and venture capital as stakeholders seek to unlock long-term financing for Ghana’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This formed the focus of the Ghana Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (GVCA) Limited Partner (LP) and Pension Industry Roundtable, held last week in partnership with the Ghana Investment Support Programme (GhISP) and Stanbic Investment Management Services (SIMS). Top pension funds and advisory experts in attendance included GCB Trustees Dr Suzy Puplampu and Martin Nantwi, with the roundtable led by Kwabena Boamah, Managing Director of SIMS.
The roundtable brought together pension trustees, regulators, policymakers, institutional investors, fund managers and development partners to examine the practical considerations, governance structures, and investment strategies that underpin private capital investing. The discussions centred on strengthening confidence among pension trustees as they gradually transition from predominantly investing in government bonds to allocating a portion of their portfolios to private capital, a move expected to deepen Ghana’s capital markets while supporting the growth of high-potential businesses. Building confidence in private capital A recurring theme throughout the session was the role of GVCA in bridging the knowledge gap between regulators, institutional investors, and private capital fund managers.
Amma Gyampo, CEO of GVCA, commented on the activities and mandate of the industry body: “By facilitating dialogue, promoting industry standards, and demystifying private equity and venture capital structures, the association continues to support the development of Ghana’s private capital ecosystem. Our work spans ecosystem coordination, policy advocacy, and market development, all aimed at increasing the flow of long-term institutional capital into productive sectors of the economy. We continue to build upon GVCA’s 5% Pension and Insurance Industry Compact, which we launched in 2025 at our annual industry conference, working with pension and industry decision-makers and risk and investment officers on the opportunities this asset class has to offer.” Strengthening due diligence Participants underscored that robust due diligence remains central to …
Summary from source