The partnership expands the network of international institutions backing the programme, following the recent entry of Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

GhISP is led by British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution, and focuses on helping underserved SMEs gain access to funding and business support.

The program was created to address one of the biggest challenges facing businesses in Ghana: limited access to long-term growth capital.

SMEs account for a large share of jobs and economic activity in the country, yet many struggle to secure financing due to high lending rates, collateral requirements, and limited investor readiness.

Speaking on the latest partnership, Norfund’s Regional Director for West Africa, Naana Winful Fynn, said the initiative aligns closely with Norfund’s investment strategy in Ghana.

She noted that helping businesses strengthen their systems and operations makes them more attractive to institutional investors and improves the overall pipeline of investable companies in the market.

The collaboration comes shortly after Norfund invested in Growth Investment Partners (GIP), a Ghana-focused investment platform established by BII.

GIP was launched to provide flexible, long-term financing to local businesses, particularly companies that fall between traditional bank lending and private equity funding.

GhISP works alongside GIP by offering technical support to businesses before and after investments are made.

This includes guidance on governance, strategy, environmental and social standards, and operational improvements aimed at helping companies scale sustainably and meet investor expectations.

The program also connects SMEs with broader funding opportunities by supporting investments made through GIP, other BII-backed companies, and investment fund managers operating in Ghana.

Since its launch, GhISP has supported several businesses through investment readiness programmes and technical assistance projects designed to unlock financing and strengthen Ghana’s private sector ecosystem.