8 creative entrepreneurs receive over GH¢500,000 at Fidelity Bank’s 3rd Sustainability Conference

In a powerful testament of its commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth, Fidelity Bank Ghana has concluded its third annual Sustainability Conference with a landmark commitment of over GH¢500,000 to empower the next generation of creative entrepreneurs.

The event, held at The Palms by Eagles, brought together key stakeholders from various sectors to deliberate on this year’s theme – ‘Aligning Finance with Climate Action’ – and crowned winners of the bank’s highly anticipated Orange Inspire Creative Challenge.

Love Ankara was named the overall winner, receiving GH¢150,000 in funding. Both Church of Stories and Stay by Plan were awarded GH¢100,000 each to scale their ventures. Abrita Holdings and GRC Concepts also received a significant boost with GH¢50,000 each.

In a heartwarming and unexpected gesture, Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director, Julian Opuni, announced that the remaining three finalists – Fashion Xcel, O Games Studio and Experience Africa VR – will each receive GH¢25,000, ensuring every one of the eight finalists was recognised and supported for their hard work and dedication.

“It’s not easy to pitch a dream in eight minutes and defend it before a panel,” Julian Opuni said, addressing the finalists. “The journey to this stage has been rigorous and every finalist deserves recognition. This is why we made sure no one left without support, because we believe in the potential of every creative who made it this far.”

The overall winner, Emma Maame Efua Tandoh of Love Ankara, expressed profound gratitude for the life-changing opportunity. “First of all, I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to God because this has been a journey. It started eight years ago,” she said.

“It’s not easy looking for funding as a creative. I’ve been through many programmes, but this has been quite a defining one for all of us. We are going to be ambassadors for Fidelity Bank and we are going to run with the education, the knowledge, and the training that you have given us. We are going to do more than this.”

The conference also featured powerful statements from key stakeholders, reinforcing Fidelity Bank’s leadership. Zia Choudhury, the new UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, commended the bank’s role in aligning its operations with global sustainability standards. He specifically praised the bank for signing the UN Principles for Responsible Banking and joining UNEP’s Finance Initiative.

“Fidelity Bank’s leadership does show what’s possible,” he noted. “Its growing green portfolio offers very practical solutions, such as concessional loans supporting the adoption of electric vehicles and financing renewable energy systems for schools and hospitals. These actions demonstrate that climate action and business success can go hand in hand.”

Panel discussions throughout the conference made it clear that Ghana is actively laying the groundwork for scalable climate finance. The first panel emphasised the nation’s momentum in structuring sustainable banking principles and aligning with global standards, positioning Fidelity Bank as a ‘climate finance champion’ ready to drive investor confidence in Ghana’s green transition.

The second panel reinforced a need for resilience, highlighting that climate finance must be anchored in real-economy outcomes and supported by banks which can help businesses become investor-ready through ESG frameworks and data-driven insights.

In a final address, the Head of Partnership, Sustainability and CSR at Fidelity Bank, Nana Yaa Afriyie Ofori-Koree, stressed that the conference was a commitment to action, not just talk. “Let this moment stand as proof that in this room we committed to act, not only to talk – and not eventually, not at some distant point, but starting here and now.” She also announced its ongoing commitment with the upcoming launch of Fidelity 2026-2030 Sustainability Strategy, solidifying its role as a key partner in Ghana’s green transition.

The conference was organised in partnership with UN Ghana, the Institute of Sustainability Professional Ghana, Joy FM, Joy Business and The Palms by Eagles.

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