Pearl Nkrumah becomes first woman to head Access Bank Ghana
Access Bank Ghana has announced the appointment of Pearl Nkrumah as its new Managing Director, effective 1 October 2025, marking the first time a woman will lead the bank since it began operations in Ghana.
Her appointment was approved by both the Board of Directors and the Bank of Ghana, satisfying all regulatory requirements.
Ms Nkrumah succeeds Olumide Olatunji, who has served as Managing Director for the past seven years and will take on a new executive role within the bank’s parent company in Nigeria.
She brings over 25 years of experience in financial services, covering retail and digital banking, commercial banking, risk management and digital transformation.
Before her promotion, Ms Nkrumah served as Executive Director for Retail and Digital Banking at Access Bank Ghana, where she also supervised retail operations across 15 Access Africa subsidiaries outside Nigeria.
Earlier in her career, she worked at Standard Chartered Bank from 1998 to 2012 and later joined Stanbic Bank, where she held senior roles in commercial and business banking. She also chairs the Council of the Ghana Stock Exchange as a representative of listed companies.
Board Chair Ama Bawuah praised the appointment, noting that Ms Nkrumah’s track record and leadership skills position her to build on the bank’s growth.
“Her appointment is a testament to Access Bank’s commitment to diversity and her extensive leadership capabilities. We are confident she will lead the bank into its next phase of growth,” Ms Bawuah said, while thanking Mr Olatunji for his exceptional service.
Expressing her enthusiasm, Ms Nkrumah noted: “It is a great privilege to lead Access Bank Ghana at such a pivotal time. Together with the Board, management and our employees, we will deliver superior value to customers and shareholders, driving Ghana’s growth as part of our vision to be the world’s most respected African bank.”
Outgoing MD Olumide Olatunji described it as an honour to have served, adding: “I am delighted to hand over to Pearl Nkrumah, whose leadership and expertise are well recognised in the industry. I have no doubt she will continue to strengthen the bank’s position.”
