Access Bank Ghana and Mastercard Launch Youth Digital Finance Initiative#

On July 1, 2025, Access Bank Ghana and Mastercard launched AccessU, an innovative, age-segmented card under the bank’s youth banking proposition, targeting Ghanaians aged 13–40. This initiative aims to empower young people with financial tools and knowledge tailored to their life stages—teens, young professionals, and middle-established professionals—addressing Ghana’s financial inclusion gap, where 57% of the population is under 25. Link Link

Key Features of AccessU#

Teens (13–17): Offers a prepaid or reloadable debit card with parental controls, expense-tracking tools, and scheduled allowances to teach budgeting, saving, and financial responsibility. Includes discounts on gaming, streaming services, and educational platforms.
Young Professionals: Provides a debit card paired with an entry-level credit card using soft credit scoring to build credit history. Features Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) integrations for e-commerce, travel, and gadgets, plus rewards on subscriptions like Netflix and Spotify, and investment-backed cashback cards for wealth-building.
Middle-Established Professionals: Includes premium debit and credit cards with travel, lifestyle, career advancement, and health insurance benefits, alongside business and SME-linked corporate cards for entrepreneurs and executives.

Strategic Importance#

Financial Inclusion: With Ghana’s youthful demographic (57% under 25), AccessU addresses the need for accessible financial tools, fostering a digitally included and financially empowered generation. Link Link
Distribution: The card is available through Access Bank Ghana’s physical branches and digital network, enabling broad access and engagement with fintechs, merchants, and educational partners. Link
Broader Collaboration: The initiative aligns with Access Bank’s ‘W’ Initiative to empower women financially and professionally, expanding its impact beyond youth. Link Link

Leadership Perspectives#

Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager and Area Business Head for West Africa, Mastercard: “This launch reflects our shared commitment with Access Bank Ghana to shape a more financially confident and digitally included generation. By embedding financial literacy and secure digital tools from an early age, we are empowering Ghana’s youth to grow into financially responsible adults while also giving families peace of mind and contributing to a more inclusive digital economy.” Link
Pearl Nkrumah, Executive Director, Retail & Digital Banking, Access Bank Ghana: “Our youth are not just the future; they are the now. Through our collaboration with Mastercard, we are not just offering banking solutions to young people, but we are enhancing their job market readiness, creating recruitment opportunities, empowering young entrepreneurs, and equipping them to achieve their dreams and impact Ghana and the rest of the world.” Link

Alignment with Broader Goals#

Access Bank Ghana: Reinforces its position as a future-focused, youth-centric bank through initiatives like AccessU and partnerships with the International Finance Corporation, Birmingham City University for green financing, and DHL for SME trade support. Link
Mastercard: Supports its commitment to financial inclusion across Africa, building on initiatives like the MADE Alliance: Africa, which aims to provide digital access to 100 million people, and programs like the Africa Youth Employment Clock and BizBox. Link Link

Conclusion#

The AccessU initiative by Access Bank Ghana and Mastercard sets a new standard for youth-focused financial services in Ghana, addressing the needs of a young population through tailored, stage-specific financial tools. By promoting financial literacy, job readiness, and entrepreneurship, the program empowers Ghanaians aged 13–40 to thrive in a digital-first economy. Stakeholders can access the card through Access Bank’s branches and digital platforms.