Rising Stars

Firms To Watch: Banking and finance

At Koranteng & Koranteng Legal Advisors, practice head Afua Koranteng garners praise as 'an exceptional legal professional, renowned for her remarkable ability to excel under pressure, consistently delivering outstanding results even in the face of daunting deadlines'.

Banking and finance in Ghana

Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah

The excellent banking and finance team at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah is renowned for handling a broad range of key deals in Ghana. Under the joint leadership of Seth Asante and Frank Nimako Akowuah, the group acts for domestic and international lenders, banks and other financial institutions in a wide spectrum of work, spanning lending, project finance and trade finance to asset finance, derivatives and debt restructuring. The department is also highly regarded for advising on the financing aspects of infrastructure, energy, natural resources, power and manufacturing projects. Regulatory work is also covered by the practice, which also works in tandem with prominent international law firms on multi-jurisdictional mandates. Senior associate Sophia Sena Berdie is a name to note.

Practice head(s):

Seth Asante; Frank Nimaako Akowuah


Other key lawyers:

Sophia Sena Berdie


Testimonials

‘Very reliable and professional.’

Key clients

Standard Chartered Bank


Africa Trade Finance Limited


EDFI Management Company SA


GCB Bank PLC


Norfund


Apple Bank for Savings


Absa Bank


Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij Voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V.


J.P Morgan


Citibank


Work highlights


  • Advised Norfund on the provision of a $10.3m convertible secure loan to Miniplast Limited.
  • Advised Absa Ghana on providing a $8m senior secured term loan facility to Ghanaian subsidiaries of Moove Ghana BV to finance the purchase of light passenger vehicles.
  • Acted as Ghanaian legal counsel for Standard Chartered Bank in connection with a $1.3bn receivables-backed trade finance facility issued to Ghana Cocoa Board.

ENSafrica

Led by Paa Kwesi Morrison, the first-rate team at ENSafrica is well regarded for its cross-border work across the continent, handling the full spectrum of banking and finance matters. The group has particular expertise in the IT, telecoms, real estate, agriculture, energy, mining, aviation and manufacturing sectors, and regularly assists a broad range of financial institutions and regional and international companies with structuring deals. Trade finance is another key pillar of strength for the practice. The department is also recognised for its strength in assisting local authorities, major corporates and financial institutions with capital markets matters. Rachel Dagadu specialises in project finance work.

Practice head(s):

Paa Kwesi Morrison


Other key lawyers:

Rachel Dagadu


Testimonials

‘The ENS Ghana finance practice is well established and able to service every imaginable financial need, including in specialist areas like derivatives transactions. I rank them highly for their depth and consistency.’

‘Paa Kwesi Morisson is a figure of authority in the Ghanaian finance law fraternity. Rachel Dagudu is a very competent upcoming partner.’

‘They are responsive and technically excellent.’

‘Paa Kwesi Morrison is sharp, quick to the point and knows the market backwards.’

‘A solid, trustworthy and responsive team. This is what I am looking for when it comes to foreign counsel.’

Key clients

EDFI Management Company SA


Komatsu Financial Europe NV


FirstRand Bank Limited


RMB International (Mauritius) Ltd


The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited


Stanbic Bank Ghana LTD


Deutsche Bank


Stanbic Bank Ghana LTD


International Finance Corporation


Ghana International Bank Plc


The Standard Bank of South Africa


Africa Global Trade Finance Limited


Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Plc


Rand Merchant Bank


Perenti Global Limited


Google


Work highlights


  • Advised the Standard Bank of South Africa on restructuring an existing loan facility of $306m to subsidiaries of Grit Real Estate Income Group Limited across Africa.
  • Advised African Export Import Bank on a $750m financing to the Government of Ghana to finance payment of fees and expenses arising from projects.
  • Advising KBC Bank NV in connection with a $78m loan facility to the Government of Ghana to finance the Tarkwa Water Project.

JLD & MB Legal Consultancy

The versatile team at JLD & MB Legal Consultancy has a solid reputation for its expertise in handling the full array of banking and finance matters. The group's workload includes large corporate and project financing matters, trade and commodity financing work and syndicated lending. The client base includes multinational companies, financial institutions, state-owned enterprises and corporate entities from a wide range of sectors. Merene Benyah is vastly experienced in advising oil and gas, mining and minerals sector clients. Akosua Apea Osafo is a name to note.

Practice head(s):

Merene Benyah; Lily Acquaye; Zoe Phillips Takyi-Appiah; Akosua Apea Osafo


Testimonials

‘The firm is adequately resourced with very experienced lawyers who go above and beyond to deliver excellent professional services as well as provide tailored solutions. They are thorough, time conscious and efficient and pay great attention to detail in providing services.’

‘Akosua Apea Osafo is very experienced and her dual qualification ensures that she has an excellent appreciation of finding solutions across jurisdictions. She is results-oriented and takes her time to understand the client’s viewpoint to ensure the best advice is offered. She is very professional and knowledgeable and it is always a pleasure to work with her.’

Key clients

Zeepay Ghana LTD


Asante Gold Corporation


GCB Bank Limited


Atlantic Lithium Resources Limited


AKA Ausfuhrkredit-Gesellschaft mbH (AKA Bank Germany)


Swipebill Ghana Limited


KOKA Energy Company Limited


Quad Energy Limited


Yinson Production West Africa Limited


BP Oil International Limited


Fast Pace Transfer Ltd


Access Bank (Ghana) Plc


Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund


C Squared Ghana LTD


Citi N.A


Mitsui & Co


Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised Asante Gold Corporation on its secondary listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange.
  • Advised Asante Gold Corporation on its acquisition of all shares held by Kinross Gold Corporation in Chirano Gold Mines LTD, a Ghanaian-incorporated mining company.
  • Advised Zeepay Ghana LTD in respect of a multimillion-dollar fundraising.

N. Dowuona & Company

The nimble team at N. Dowuona & Company is frequently instructed in a range of financing transactions, spanning lending and borrowing matters, asset and acquisition finance and project finance. Cross-border investment work is another core area of strength for the group, which also advises on financial regulatory issues. The client base includes fintech companies, financial institutions, lessees and other key names in the capital markets space. Achiaa Akobour Debrah heads up the practice. NanaAma Botchway is well versed in handling prominent banking and finance transactions in Ghana.

Practice head(s):

Achiaa Akobour Debrah


Other key lawyers:

NanaAma Botchway; Alex Calloway


Testimonials

‘Expertise: NamaAma, Acchia and Alex have demonstrated deep knowledge of local banking and finance regulations, coupled with a global outlook, sets them apart.’

‘Client Focus: They prioritise clients’ needs, aligning legal solutions with business objectives.’

‘Comparative Edge: N. Dowuona & Company excels among peers. Their agility, responsiveness, and ability to merge local expertise with international standards distinguish them. In summary, their Banking and Finance practice is a top choice. ’

‘NanaAma, Acchia and Alex stand out for their profound understanding of local banking and finance regulations, complemented by a global perspective. The firm’s commitment to fostering a diverse and collaborative work environment has resulted in creative and comprehensive solutions.’

Key clients

Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited


Standard Bank of South Africa, Ltd


DTRT Apparel Limited


rePATRN Limited


M-KOPA Limited


Prime Meridan Docks Limited


Bowmans


AgDevCo Limited


Ntrakwah & Co

The 'exceptionally skilled' team at Ntrakwah & Co 'consistently delivers exceptional results by providing insightful advice'. Under the joint leadership of Abena Ntrakwah-Mensah and Kwadwo Ntrakwah, the group excels in handling project and property financing matters, as well as advising on debt recovery litigation. The department has a solid track record in advising clients on a broad spectrum of matters, including setting up financial institutions. Daisy Joana Bosumprah is a key name to note at associate level.

Practice head(s):

Abena Ntrakwah-Mensah; Kwadwo G. Ntrakwah


Other key lawyers:

Daisy Joana Bosumprah


Testimonials

‘They provide great service for their client and have great knowledge in the field. We used the team for various services including raising green finance for our project. They had exceptional knowledge on the area and the carbon credits market.’

‘Kwadwo Ntrakwah was our main contact. He has exceptional knowledge in the law, he was always available and simplified the most complex issues. We highly recommend the team at Ntrakwah and co. Daisy was a fantastic contributor to the team as well.’

‘Kwadwo Ntrakwah and Abena Ntrakwah exude exceptional commitment to innovation and collaborative culture approach, and are client centric in their dealings.’

Key clients

Jask Services Limited


GCB Bank Limited


B-One Savings and Loans


Temple Investment


Jishlah Financial Services


Form Ghana Ltd.


LANDT GmbH


Cookclean Ghana


Work highlights


  • Acting as legal consultants to Landt GmbH which is working with the Development Bank Ghana and the Ministry of Finance Ghana to set up a partial credit guarantee for SMEs in Ghana.
  • Advised Form Ghana on the restructuring of a loan of $14m from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Reindorf Chambers

At Reindorf Chambers, Fui Tsikata and Kizzita Mensah co-head the practice, which houses an experienced team known for representing domestic and international banks, financial institutions, and corporates. The group continues to be kept busy advising on a wide range of lending and domestic and cross-border financial transactions. Other key areas of instruction include assisting lenders with loan restructurings, and handling regulatory issues.

Practice head(s):

Fui Tsikata; Kizzita Mensah


Key clients

C-Nergy Ghana Limited


ABC Bank International Plc


Ecobank Ghana Ltd


AlphaJiri Investment Fund LP


General Electric International (Benelux) B.V.


Africa Finance Corporation


Investec Bank Limited


WTS Nobisfields

At WTS Nobisfields, the team is adept at handling acquisition and asset financing, derivatives, structured financing and debt financing matters. Theophilus Tawiah heads up the practice, which has also been kept busy advising on trade and export financing, insolvency and restructuring work. Additionally, the group assists banks with a wide range of regulatory issues. Abena Aboa Inkoom is a key name at associate level.

Practice head(s):

Theophilus Tawiah


Other key lawyers:

Abena Aboa Inkoom


Key clients

MLU B.V


Jetstream Technologies Limited


Vana Energy Ltd


Yango Ghana


ICON Wirtschaftstreuhand GmbH


Wangara Green Venture Capital Ltd


Venture Capital Trust Fund (Ghana)


Goldstrom


Industrial Support Fund ISF Ghana Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised MLU B.V on the provision of payment options on ride hailing apps.
  • Advised Jetstream Technologies Limited on appropriate business models for its operations, in accordance with banking and financial regulations.
  • Advised Wangara Green Venture Capital Ltd on an investment in Northlite and Kofa.

Templars

Following the establishment of its office in Accra in December 2022, the finance team at Templars has been instructed on high-profile matters in Ghana. Recent work for the group includes advising on sovereign and corporate debt issues, and the department is sought after by financial institutions, local and foreign investors and lender and borrower clients. Dorothy Mensah and Desmond Ogba co-head the practice.

Practice head(s):

Dorothy Mensah; Desmond Ogba


Key clients

Terraformation Inc.


Prudential Life Insurance


Absa Bank Limited


Saroafrica International Limited


National Cancer Research Institute


Work highlights


  • Advising Terraformation Inc on its proposed credit financing in the form of a working capital line to Seawater Solutions Ltd and Seawater Solutions Ghana Limited.
  • Advised Prudential Life Insurance on its participation in the Government of Ghana’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.
  • Advised Absa Bank Limited on its participation in the Ghana Cocoa Board’s Debt Exchange Programme.