By Ashiadey Dotse
Ghana’s Finance Minister and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr Cassiel Baah Ato Forson, says the Bank recorded strong financial growth in 2025 despite global economic challenges.
Speaking at the 24th Ordinary Session of the Board of Governors in Accra, Dr Forson revealed that EBID’s balance sheet increased significantly over the past year.
“The balance sheet expanded from $1.97bn in 2024 to $2.39bn at the end of 2025, reflecting increased scale and activity,” he said.
He explained that the growth came at a time when the global economy faced serious difficulties, including uneven growth, trade tensions and geopolitical pressures.
According to him, these conditions created a complex environment for the Bank and its member states, with rising inflation and shifting commodity prices affecting economies across the region.
Despite these challenges, Dr Forson said EBID showed resilience and strong leadership.
“In the face of these headwinds, EBID did not just weather the storm; we rose above it,” he said.
He added that the Bank had strengthened its role as a key driver of development in West Africa through strategic investments and effective management.
The Finance Minister also highlighted improvements in profitability, noting that earnings rose from $8.55m in 2024 to $9.75m in 2025, representing a 13.3% increase.
On the operational side, he said project approvals increased by 50%, while total commitments grew by more than 83% to over $813m, with a major focus on energy and transport infrastructure.
Dr Forson further disclosed that EBID mobilised significant funding to support development projects, raising over $510m and €310m, in addition to $100m in capital mobilisation.
He also pointed to international recognition of the Bank’s performance, with global rating agencies reaffirming its financial stability and governance standards.
However, the Minister raised concerns about delays in capital contributions from some member states and urged them to meet their financial obligations to support the Bank’s continued growth.
“Timely capital payments are critical. They strengthen EBID’s leverage and sustain its growth and impact across our region,” he stressed.
The meeting brought together regional leaders and financial experts to review the Bank’s performance and discuss strategies to boost economic development across West Africa.
