Category: Daily Guide Network

Across Africa, women-led businesses face well-documented barriers that hinder their growth and access to finance. Many women cannot use land, property, or significant assets as collateral because they do not own them. Instead, they often rely on informal financial services, such as savings groups. Distrust of banks, sometimes stemming from past experiences or limited financial literacy, further restricts access. Household responsibilities, including childcare and caring for dependents, mean many women have fewer resources to save or reinvest in their businesses.

Additionally, gender norms and restrictions on decision-making and mobility create further obstacles. In Northern and Western Africa, especially in Tunisia, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, Advans is exploring ways to bridge these gaps. By using tailored product design, forming partnerships with trusted local networks, and conducting rigorous testing, Advans is learning how to make financial services both accessible and user-friendly for women.

Entrepreneurs need financing to grow, and most of these businesses are viable but remain vulnerable without formal financial systems in place. The risks are even greater in agriculture, where climate shocks and market volatility disproportionately impact women. According to CGAP, women farmers have less access to finance, adaptation tools, and risk management resources than men.

In Tunisia, Advans Tunisie introduced El Beya, a loan designed specifically for women. Ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 TND (about pound 300-pound 3,000), the loans feature lower fees and more flexible collateral requirements. After two loan cycles, women can borrow larger amounts without providing collateral. A follow-up study in June 2025 showed that 82% of female clients increased their income, 39% spent more on education, and 13% created jobs.

In Ghana, the AdvansHer programme offers women entrepreneurs personalised coaching in social media promotion, practical bookkeeping, and business structuring. Over 100 women-led SMEs have participated since its launch, supported by the Development Bank of Ghana. The institution also launched a school-fee savings feature called EduSave specifically targeted at women.

Vicentia Ananepia, a fashion entrepreneur in Ghana, recalls the moment she nearly lost a shipment. In her early days, her husband helped her with the capital to start her business. But when serious obstacles arose, she had to find her own solution. ‘One day, my goods arrived from China, and I had no money to go and claim them,’ she explains in her testimonial. ‘So, I went through Advans. They lent me money to pay my bills, and I brought the goods to market.’ That shipment supported her business and helped it grow. Today, she owns three shops. ‘As a woman, I’m proud of myself because it’s not easy for a woman to work as a trader.’

Advans’ models are not driven by lending; they are enabling businesses, which include providing financing. Côte d’Ivoire serves as another example: Advans has developed savings and lending products for rural women through Village Savings And Loan Associations (VSLAs) and cooperatives, especially in cocoa-growing areas.

Beyond Côte d’Ivoire, the results across the Advans group are tangible: the network now serves over 240,000 women, including more than 26,000 female borrowers. Women account for 35% of all depositors across its network.

Kenya illustrates what inclusive finance can achieve at scale. By 2024, widespread mobile money adoption had narrowed the gender gap in financial access to just 1.6%, compared to persistent gaps of 12 percentage points in Sub-Saharan Africa and 15 in the Middle East and North Africa, according to the World Bank’s 2025 Global Findex.

The lesson is clear: inclusion isn’t about simplifying mainstream products but about rethinking design. Financial tools must reflect how women live, earn, and plan. A 2023 IMF gender note highlighted that when women access well-designed financial services, the benefits spread outward, supporting family welfare, boosting economic resilience, and building human capital.

At Advans, we observe this firsthand. Whether through El Beya in Tunisia, AdvansHer in Ghana, or VSLA-linked savings and lending in Côte d’Ivoire, women adopt services more quickly and report stronger outcomes when products are designed with their realities in mind. It’s not a matter of lowering barriers, but of tailoring solutions to women’s realities.

As Botswana marks its 59th Independence Anniversary today, September 30, 2025, the nation is already awash in jubilation. The streets may be quiet, with Botswanans retreating to their villages to celebrate with kith and kin, but the air hums with pride and possibility.

This euphoria stems not only from the upcoming national milestone but also from a historic triumph that has reverberated across the continent. Botswana’s men’s 4x400m relay team (Lee Bhekempilo, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi) secured Africa’s first-ever gold medal in this event at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

This victory is no small feat. For decades, the United States, with its population of 350 million, has dominated the men’s 4x400m relay, clinching the last ten editions of the championship. Yet, from ‘small Botswana’ – a nation of just 2.4 million people – emerged a team of gallant runners who defied the odds. They outran not only the Americans but also formidable competitors like neighboring South Africa, with its 63 million citizens.

In a David-and-Goliath moment, these athletes proved that neither the size of one’s country nor the location of one’s address can stand in the way of greatness. Their triumph is a beacon of hope, a testament to African resilience, and a clarion call for unity across our diverse continent.

The Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign, which I am honored to lead, arrived in Botswana on Saturday, September 28, 2025, as the 11th stop on our 163-day, 40,000-kilometer road journey across 39 African nations.

orsed by several African governments, our mission is to promote intra-African tourism, advocate for a visa-free policy for all African nationals, and foster a united Africa where borders do not divide but connect us.

From Togo to Namibia, we have witnessed the power of shared dreams and collective action, engaging government officials, diplomats, the media, and communities in a vision aligned with Agenda 2063.

In Botswana, we found a nation in celebration, not only of its sporting heroes but also of its enduring spirit. President Duma Boko, in a gesture of national pride, declared a paid day off to honor the relay team’s historic victory, setting the stage for the Independence Day festivities.

Despite the long holiday, with many Botswanans away in their villages, the Government of Botswana has exemplified Pan-African solidarity by arranging for the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Moeti Mohwasa – a very senior cabinet Minister – to receive our delegation. We are deeply grateful for this warm welcome and looked forward to a productive meeting to discuss how Botswana’s leadership in sustainable tourism and regional integration can amplify our campaign’s goals.

Botswana’s story-its rich cultural heritage, its stewardship of natural wonders like the Okavango Delta, and now its athletic prowess-mirrors the aspirations of our campaign. Just as the relay team showed that small nations can achieve monumental victories, we believe that a united Africa, free of visa barriers, can unlock boundless opportunities for tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.

Botswana, with its forward-thinking governance and commitment to African unity, is poised to lead this charge.

As we celebrate Botswana’s independence and its recent triumphs, let us also celebrate the broader African spirit- one that dares to dream, competes without fear, and embraces unity as strength. The Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign calls on all Africans to rally behind this vision. Let us make our continent a place where every citizen can travel freely, where every nation’s story is shared, and where every victory, like Botswana’s, belongs to us all.

Ghanaian DStv subscribers are set to enjoy greater value for their money from October 1, following a new agreement reached between the government and MultiChoice Africa.

Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, announced the development at a press briefing in Accra yesterday, describing the arrangement as ‘an unprecedented value offer’ available only in Ghana.

He explained that the offer would give customers between 33 and 50 percent more value depending on the bouquet they subscribe to.

Under the new plan, subscribers will be automatically upgraded to higher packages at no additional cost, ensuring that they gain access to more channels and services while continuing to pay the same subscription rates.

Even premium customers, who already receive the full bouquet, will benefit through exclusive incentives, including automatic entry into a competition for an all-expenses-paid trip to watch English Premier League matches.

The Minister stressed that the arrangement means ‘more services for less’ and represents a significant concession from MultiChoice Africa after weeks of negotiations and regulatory scrutiny.

The government has framed the deal as a direct response to concerns expressed by subscribers about affordability and value, pointing out that the package is unique to Ghana and unmatched anywhere else on the continent.

The value upgrade will run for three months beginning October 1. During this period, the stakeholder committee, comprising the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority, MultiChoice Africa, and MultiChoice Ghana, will monitor its implementation and reconvene to assess its impact.

According to George, the development highlights the power of collaboration between regulators and service providers to secure fairer, more beneficial terms for Ghanaian consumers.

Platinum Impex Limited, operating under the brand Sigma Appliances, has announced a strategic partnership with the Ghana TVET Service to launch ‘Sigma for TVET’, a long-term programme designed to bridge the country’s skills gap in modern electrical and domestic-appliance technologies.

The initiative will equip technicians with practical, industry-relevant skills and create direct pathways from training into internships and employment.

Built around three interlocking pillars – upgrading TVET infrastructure, strengthening instructor capacity, and facilitating employment pathways – the programme aims to deliver a sustained, systemic contribution to Ghana’s technical and vocational education sector.

Selected TVET institutions will be fitted with purpose-built Sigma Tech-Ready Labs, containing a full range of modern appliances, diagnostic equipment, and workshop resources to give learners hands-on experience with the systems they will encounter in the workplace.

Complementing the physical infrastructure, a rigorous Train-the-Trainer programme will upskill instructors in the latest technologies and competency-based approaches, ensuring the new facilities are used to their full potential.

A dedicated Sigma apprenticeship and job placement pathway will also offer high-performing graduates practical industry placements and clear recruitment opportunities within Sigma’s nationwide service and retail network.

The initiative is expected to raise the quality and employability of technical graduates, enhance after-sales and maintenance standards across the country, and contribute to Ghana’s broader economic development by fostering an adaptable, industry-ready workforce.

‘This initiative is not merely a corporate social responsibility project; it is a strategic investment in Ghana’s technical future,’ said Ahmad Taan, General Manager at Platinum Impex Limited.

‘Sigma has long been present in Ghanaian homes. Through this partnership with the Ghana TVET Service, we are committed to developing the skilled workforce that will install, maintain, and service the appliances of tomorrow, and to ensuring our support has a sustainable, system-wide impact,’ he added.

Director-General of the Ghana TVET Service, Eng. Dr. Eric Adzroe, welcomed the collaboration.

‘This partnership exemplifies how private-sector engagement can deliver tangible benefits for students and strengthen the national economy. It aligns with our mandate to provide demand-driven skills and to make TVET an attractive, viable career pathway for Ghanaian young people,’ he said.

Marie D. Sam, Marketing Manager at Platinum Impex Limited, added, ‘From January 2026, for every Sigma Appliance purchased, consumers will be contributing to the Sigma for TVET initiative.’

‘This programme is built on a model of sustainable shared commitment and collaboration, bringing together the private sector, government institutions, and consumers to ensure a lasting impact. By choosing a Sigma appliance, consumers are not only selecting a quality and affordable product but are also participating directly in building Ghana’s technical future,’ he stated.

Parliament will reconvene on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, to begin the Third Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament.

In an official notice issued yesterday, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, announced that the meeting will commence at 2:00 p.m. at Parliament House in Accra.

The upcoming meeting marks the end of a three-month recess, during which Members of Parliament (MPs) were expected to engage with their constituents and undertake committee assignments.

The House is set to return to a packed agenda that will include the consideration of new bills, outstanding government business, and reports from various committees.

Parliament is anticipated to serve once again as a key arena for government accountability and legislative oversight, with debates likely to be heated as both Majority and Minority MPs seek to advance their positions on matters of national importance.

RESIDENTS OF Afasiebon near Kwadaso Agric Nzema, a suburb of Kumasi, woke up to the weird news of a suspected ‘witch’ crash-landing on top of an avocado tree in the area.

According to some community members, they heard a loud bang in the area in the early hours of yesterday when residents of the community were asleep in their rooms.

Later on, they disclosed that they also heard dogs barking under a tree, sparking suspicion. When the residents got closer, they said they spotted a woman perching on the tree.

According to them, the woman was looking very weak, an indication that perhaps she may have fallen from the sky and accidentally landed on top of the tall avocado tree.

A sea of curious people in Afasiebon and nearby communities rushed to the scene to catch a glimpse of the woman, who was said to be looking confused.

Later on, a joint operation between the police and some community members helped to bring down the woman from the top of the tree, using a tall ladder.

According to reports, some of the agitated youth in the community attempted to manhandle her, but she was shielded by the policemen.

The woman, whose face was covered with a cloth to hide her identity, was whisked in a waiting police car to the station.

GHANA’S MOST Beautiful (GMB), the country’s premier tourism and cultural pageant reality show, is set to host its semi-final show, ‘Justify Your Inclusion,’ this Sunday.

The seven participants will each present their case for inclusion in the finale, showcasing their talents, charisma, and dedication to promoting Ghanaian culture.

The event promises to be an exciting display of Ghana’s rich heritage and the contestants’ passion for tourism and cultural development.

Currently, the seven contestants ready for the finale include Nana (Bono Region), Afedziwaa (Central Region), Asakia (Upper East Region), Yeli (Bono Region), Sika (Ashanti Region), Etornam (Volta Region) and Adjorkor (Greater Accra).

Last Sunday event, themed, ‘One Africa’ saw two of the contestants bow out from the competition, Busi from the Savannah Region and Diyuah representing the Oti Region. Etornam, Sika and Diyuah won the Star Performer, Most Eloquent and Best Costume respectively.

Among the seven, one of the most sought-after contestants in the competition whose jaw-dropping performances have sailed her through is Afedziwaa. Labelled as the ‘Viewer’s Favourite.’

Afedziwaa, representing the Central Region, has been making waves in Ghana’s Most Beautiful (GMB) 2025. She has on several occasions been saved from eviction. In one of her standout moments, Afedziwaa showcased the cultural significance of the Apatampa dance, a traditional Fante dance, and received accolades from judges and the audience alike.

Her educational performances have been a highlight of the competition, and she’s been praised for her eloquence, outfit, and embodiment of the performances.

Afedziwaa’s journey in GMB 2025 has been notable, and she’s been consistently waving her flag high for the Central Region. With her strong performances and cultural knowledge, she’s a contestant to watch out for in the competition.