Access Bank Ghana: Certified Carbon Credit Broker by Carbon Market Office

• Access Bank Ghana has been certified as a carbon credit broker by the Carbon Market Office (CMO).
• The certification enables Access Bank to facilitate transactions involving carbon credits and connect buyers and sellers of these credits.
• Access Bank can now act as a market arranger, linking project developers in Ghana with international buyers, carbon funds, and climate finance institutions.
• The certification is significant for the public sector, where decarbonisation commitments increasingly require credible access to carbon markets.

This recognition forms part of the Bank’s broader sustainability strategy and permits Access Bank to facilitate, intermediate and broker transactions involving carbon credits, including Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) and other carbon credit assets.

Access Bank Ghana's certification as a carbon credit broker marks a significant milestone in the country's transition to a low-carbon economy. This recognition, granted by the Carbon Market Office (CMO), enables Access Bank to facilitate transactions involving carbon credits and connect buyers and sellers of these credits. The certification is a result of the bank's efforts to align its operations with Ghana's Framework for International Carbon Market and Non-Market Approaches and the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 2025 (Act 1124). With this new role, Access Bank can now act as a market arranger, linking project developers in Ghana with international buyers, carbon funds, and climate finance institutions. This development is particularly significant for the public sector, where decarbonisation commitments increasingly require credible access to carbon markets.

The certification of Access Bank as a carbon credit broker is in line with Ghana's regulatory framework for international carbon market and non-market approaches. The Environmental Protection Agency Act, 2025 (Act 1124), provides the legal basis for the country's efforts to address climate change through the development of a well-regulated carbon market. The Framework for International Carbon Market and Non-Market Approaches outlines the rules and guidelines for participating in this market, including the requirements for certification as a carbon credit broker. Access Bank's recognition by the CMO demonstrates its commitment to upholding the highest standards of transparency and regulatory compliance.

The certification of Access Bank as a carbon credit broker has significant implications for the bank's clients, particularly in the public sector. With this new capability, Access Bank can support government agencies and state institutions in structuring carbon transactions that align with national climate goals. This is a natural extension of the bank's sustainability agenda and its commitment to enabling climate finance across the markets it serves. The certification also reinforces Access Bank Group's position at the forefront of climate finance innovation on the continent, building on its established record in mobilising climate capital across Africa.

This development may require lawyers and compliance officers to advise clients on the implications of Access Bank's certification as a carbon credit broker, including potential opportunities for structuring carbon transactions that align with national climate goals.

Source: Original reporting via Joy Business