Mastercard Bridge In Agriculture Loans: Access to Finance Opportunity for GCYE Members
As part of our continued efforts to improve access to finance for our members, the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE) has engaged Mastercard to explore financing opportunities under the Bridge in Agriculture Loan Programme.
Through this engagement, Mastercard has shared with us the loan requirements of participating partner banks to help eligible GCYE members access financing for their businesses.
We encourage all interested members, particularly those operating in agriculture and agribusiness, to carefully review the attached document and assess whether their businesses meet the eligibility criteria.
If your business meets the requirements, you may visit any of the participating partner banks, introduce yourself as a GCYE member, and express your interest in applying for the Bridge in Agriculture Loan. The bank will guide you through its application and assessment process.
We encourage eligible members to take advantage of this opportunity to access financing to support their business operations, expansion and growth.
Below is a summary of the eligibility requirements for each participating bank. Please review them carefully before proceeding with your application.
GCYE remains committed to connecting our members with practical financing opportunities that support business growth and sustainability.
Together, we grow!
ACCESS BANK
• Certificate of incorporation
• Certificate of commencement
• Form A (sole proprietors) or Forms 3 and 4 (limited companies)
• Company regulations
• Business operating permit
• Industry permits
• 1 to 2 years of bank statements
• Audited accounts for 2024 and 2025, with 2026 management accounts
• Loan period of up to 18 months
• Collateral of 30% cash for loans of GHS 500,000 and below
• Collateral of 50% cash, or land worth at least 60% of the loan, for GHS 500,000 to GHS 1.1 million
• Collateral of 60% cash, or land worth at least 70% of the loan, for GHS 1.1 million to GHS 11 million
FIRST NATIONAL BANK (FNB)
• Loans of up to GHS 15 million
• Interest of 5% a year
• 2% processing fee paid upfront
• Loans can run until the programme ends on 31st May 2028
• No collateral for loans up to GHS 550,000
• At least 40% collateral for GHS 550,000 to GHS 1.1 million
• At least 50% collateral for GHS 1.1 million to GHS 15 million
• Facility request letter
• Business profile
• Business registration documents
• Off-taker agreements, if any
• At least one year of bank statements (MoMo statements are accepted)
• Cashflow projections for the loan period
• Audited accounts for 2 years and current management accounts (only for loans above GHS 550,000)
ECOBANK
• Business must have been operating for at least 6 months
• Certificate of incorporation
• Certificate of commencement
• Forms 3 and 4
• Company regulations
• Business operating permit
• Industry permits
• Business registration certificate and Form A (sole proprietors)
• Renewed registration documents, where applicable
• At least 6 months of bank or MoMo statements
• Company profile with a brief on the directors
• List of suppliers and buyers, and how long you have worked with them
• Off-taker agreements, contracts or invoices, where applicable
• Registration on the Peswa loan platform at bridgeinagric.com
• Completion of the programme participant database (the bank will share the Excel sheet)
STANBIC BANK
• Business must be registered and generating revenue
• Business must be in the agriculture value chain
• Business and bank account must have been running for at least 6 months
• Business should work mostly with young people aged 18 to 35, with about 70% of them women
• Willingness to share data on employees and the farmers you work with
• At least 6 months of bank statements
• Details of revenue, cost of sales and taxes
• Company TIN and registration number
• Certificate of incorporation
• Certified certificate of commencement
• Forms 3 and 4
• Company regulations
• Business operating permit
• Industry permits
• Interest fixed at not more than 7%
• Mastercard Foundation guarantee of 20% to 50% of the loan, depending on the amount
• Loans above GHS 1 million need extra documents, including a business plan, directors’ profiles, 3 years of signed audited accounts, signed management accounts, cashflow projections in Excel, a formal request letter, and details of any existing loans
FIDELITY BANK
• Request letter
• Impact assessment
• Business registration documents
• Consent for a credit bureau search
• Licences and permits
• National ID cards
• Approved environmental and social risk assessment (ESRM)
• Fire certificate or payment receipt
• Sketch showing directions to the business and the homes of key managers
• 12 months of bank and MoMo statements
• Stock list, where applicable
• 3 years of financial statements with 6 months of current management accounts
• Cashflow projections for the loan period
• Proforma invoices for equipment loans
QUICK TIP
• All the banks require business registration, permits, bank or MoMo statements and a business profile, so please get these ready first.
• If you do not have collateral, FNB offers loans up to GHS 550,000 without collateral.
• If your business is fairly new, Ecobank and Stanbic accept businesses that have been operating for at least 6 months.