Business News of Tuesday, 3 November 2026

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

GCCE, WDI move to address financing of Ghana’s electric two-wheeler industry

Group photo of participants after the workshop Group photo of participants after the workshop

The Ghana Chamber of Clean Energy (GCCE), in partnership with the William Davidson Institute (WDI) at the University of Michigan, USA, convened a stakeholder consultative workshop in Accra on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, to examine financing constraints for Ghana’s growing electric two-wheeler manufacturing, assembling, and retail businesses and also explore policy solutions to improve access to capital.

The workshop, held as part of an ongoing joint research and advocacy initiative by GCCE and WDI, brought together electric two-wheeler enterprises, financial institutions, and other key industry stakeholders to validate the financing gaps identified by the research team, uncover additional challenges not previously captured, and explore opportunities for collective action to address the sector’s financing needs.

Delivering the opening remarks, Emmanuella Biney, GCCE Programmes and Outreach Manager, emphasized that addressing the sector’s financing challenges requires more than increasing the availability of capital.

It also demands appropriate financing structures, stronger institutional collaboration, and an an enabling environment that strengthens investor confidence, facilitates greater access to financing, and accelerates the adoption of electric two-wheelers in Ghana, contributing to cleaner air and a more sustainable transport sector.

She further noted that no single institution could address these challenges independently and called for coordinated action among government and industry stakeholders, alongside a deeper understanding by government of the financing constraints and policy gaps identified GCCE’s industry convenings.

As part of the workshop, the research team presented seven preliminary financing gaps identified through the study.

These included the limited implementation of announced import duty waivers for electric two-wheeler companies; difficulties transitioning from grant funding to follow-on investment; the reliance of companies on their own balance sheets to finance riders; limited access to affordable local-currency debt; lending requirements that are difficult for early-stage companies to satisfy; equity investors' preference for asset-light business models; and persistent information and expectation gaps between enterprises and capital providers.

Building on these findings, participants engaged in group discussions to validate the identified challenges, highlight additional barriers, and potential approaches to addressing them.

The discussions also explored opportunities for stronger collaboration among government, financial institutions, electric two-wheeler companies, and other industry stakeholders to improve access to financing and support the sector’s growth.

The findings and recommendations from the workshop will inform a forthcoming public report to be jointly developed by GCCE and WDI. The report will guide GCCE’s engagement with government, financial institutions, and industry stakeholders on the policy and financing measures needed to address the identified barriers and improve access to capital for electric mobility in Ghana.