The Bank of the Year award is in recognition of  the bank’s efforts at promoting financial inclusion and its continuous focus on programmes aimed at creating more opportunities for women to improve their businesses and general wellbeing through its ‘W’ initiative. Access Bank’s ‘W’ Initiative, which is the bank’s flagship women empowerment programme.

 It makes available specialised bundled products and services to support women in their quest to grow their business, improve their family wellbeing and general lifestyle goals.

The Head of Inclusive Banking at Access Bank, Mrs. Josephine Eva Arthur, receiving the honor on behalf of the Bank, dedicated the award to the women who have embraced the “W” Initiative and are making an impact across the country.

 Welcoming news of the award, the Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana, Mr. Olumide Olatunji expressed the bank’s delight for the recognition and indicated that the award would further spur the bank on to achieve its set objectives for the ‘W’ Initiative.

 “It’s been an eye-opening yet humbling experience since launching the ‘W’ Initiative. We are proud that women have accepted this initiative and have joined us on Press Release this journey to help create an ecosystem that women can thrive in and achieve their full potential,” he said.

Since launching in 2015, over 40,000 women across Ghana have benefited from various workshops through the ‘W’ Knowledge Hub Series and other specialised training sessions for female business leaders in collaboration with the IFC, Dutch Development Bank – FMO, and other partners.

The Bank has also partnered several institutions to bring financial literacy and funding to support women who come on board the initiative.

 In furtherance of its commitment to women empowerment, the ‘W’ initiative in 2016 enhanced its value proposition with the launch of a Maternal Health Support Scheme (MHSS), which provides flexible financing options and support to enable women experience the joy of motherhood and access various fertility treatments at specialist hospitals in Ghana and around the world. Today, ‘W’ is arguably the leading women empowerment initiative in the country.

The Women’s Choice Awards Africa is an initiative of Global Ovations Limited, producers of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion week in Accra.

 The awards was organised in collaboration with the Oprah Winfrey Network to honor individuals and organisations whose works and services advocate for the empowerment of girls and women.