This award is for an individual that has made an outstanding contribution in the past year to support the growth of the impact investments ecosystem.
About
Amma is a celebrated trailblazer in the West African impact investing ecosystem and has served the market in numerous capacities in recent years, including as CEO of Impact Investing Ghana (IIGh). Amma has established several programmes such as the Enterprise Support Organisation (ESO) Collaborative, Ghana Research and Industry Collaborative (GRIC), Deal Source Africa and Pensions Industry Collaborative that tie into IIGh’s five-year strategy for impact.
She also has an impressive track record of building and maintaining partnerships with the likes of the RISA Fund, UK International Development, UN in Ghana, WFP, Orange Corners, ANDE, BII, FMO, and Ford Foundation.
IIGh has contributed significantly to the development of the impact investment market in Africa, including through a report published in 2022 in which IIGh identified 10 critical gaps in the impact investing ecosystem, their causes and consequences, then crafted proposed solutions, presenting its innovative nucleus of change model.
In her capacity as CEO of IIGh, Amma has spearheaded the development of the organisation’s five-year strategy. Her targeted and solutions-based approach with sustainability and impact at the centre enables the design of interventions that will support IIGh with its ambition to unlock $1bn in impact investing capital for West Africa.
Her deep expertise in the regulatory environment, policies and ESG standards enhances the robustness of the initiatives and ensures they are designed to achieve long-term objectives.
Delivering real-world impact
Amma has been instrumental in designing many of the interventions outlined above as well as other initiatives and some of the key impacts from the establishment of these include:
- The setup of the GRIC research brief template which is a tool/resource anyone can adapt.
- Organising the first GRIC annual forum that brought 128 personnel committed to bridging the gap between research and industry.
- Helped mobilise impact investment funding of $1,723,903 for six businesses through the Deal Source Africa programme in Ghana.
- Building the enterprise support space in Ghana and connecting them with quality improvement programmes per the SCALE program by Argidius Foundation.
- Building capacity for over 200 fund managers and transaction advisors in Ghana in partnership with the British International Investment
- Equipping over 100 pension trustees with the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate alternative investments and valuable insights to empower them to make informed decisions in their investment journeys.
Ensuring scalability
Many of the interventions designed by Amma can be replicated in other jurisdictions. For example, both Nigeria and Ghana face challenges in providing innovative ventures with adequate access to patient capital as an estimated $5bn financing gap exists annually for SMEs in Ghana, and a staggering $32.2bn for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria. The lack of a robust pipeline of investment-ready businesses stems from the inadequate capacity and inconsistent quality of enterprise support organisations.
Additionally, there is a scarcity of transaction advisory services and efficient channels to connect businesses to investors. With this insight, ESO Collaborative Nigeria and Deal Source Africa Nigeria will be rolling out this year with support from The RISA Fund.
Amma’s leadership at IIGh demonstrates the potential of impact investing to address critical social and economic challenges. By fostering collaboration and innovation, IIGh is playing a key role in building a more sustainable and inclusive future for West Africa. The lessons learned from their work can be applied in other regions to further advance the field of impact investing.
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