Exploring Ghana Commercial Banks: The Top Five Choices
1. Ecobank Ghana Limited
1990, its headquarters are in Accra, the capital of Ghana. Commercial banks like Ecobank Ghana Limited offer a wide
range of services, and Ecobank is known for its strong customer service and
innovative digital banking solutions.
Eccobank, one of the prominent Ghana Commercial Banks, has experienced consistent growth and has established itself as a recognized corporate brand in the banking world. In July 2006, it was listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange. Only recently, in 2023, Ecobank won the Euromoney Award as Africa’s best bank for SMEs for the second year running.
65 branches and 248 ATMs are spread over towns in Ghana. Remote banking and mobile banking
are also available options. Its subsidiaries are Pan African Savings and Loans
Company Ltd.
In general, when it comes to Ghana Commercial Banks, Ecobank Ghana Limited is a good choice with decent exchange rates and a variety of payment methods. Ecobank offers secure and efficient banking, making online banking safe through Secure Access, an online security tool.
2. GCB Bank Limited
With a long-standing history in Ghana, GCB Bank, formerly known as Ghana Commercial
Banks, provides various banking services and has a reputation for stability and
reliability. Founded in 1953, with 184 branches – and considering its operating
assets and share of industry deposits – it is the largest financial institution
in Ghana.
The bank’s headquarters are in Accra. Its subsidiaries are GCB Capital Limited, Research
Division; Ghana Commercial Bank Limited, Asset Management Arm; Ghana Commercial
Bank Limited, Pension Arm; and GCB Securities Limited.
GCB bank describes itself as “Africa’s most welcoming bank” since it offers financial
support everywhere – where it is needed – by providing expert solutions.
GCB Bank, one of the prominent Ghana Commercial Banks, provides a range of wealth management services, including a diversified investment portfolio, access to statements of accounts, and a dedicated portfolio manager. Ensuring both security and confidentiality, GCB Bank’s services cater to your financial needs. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the shares of GCB Bank are listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.
In general, this bank has great reviews, not only from customers but also from employees in
Ghana. Commercial banks like GCB
Bank Limited provide opportunities for staff to learn more skills, which can
only be beneficial for both the employee and the customer.
3. Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited
As a global bank, Standard Chartered offers a range of financial products and services,
including corporate banking, personal banking, and wealth management. This bank’s
headquarters are also in Accra. It offers personal banking, priority baking, digital
banking, and private banking.
Standard Chartered is the oldest Ghana Commercial Banks. It began operations in 1896 as the Bank of British West Africa and then until 1953, it was known as the Central Bank of the Gold Coast. This bank has continuously supported the trade and investment activities of its clients, and to this day it still supports several sectors of Ghana’s economy, which has led to the financing of cocoa and the gas and oil sector.
Moreover, it has won an impressive number of awards, such as the Euromoney Award for
Excellence in 2020, Best Digital Consumer Bank in Ghana 2019, Digital Bank of
the Year 2019, Digital Team of the Year 2019, Excellence in Employment Opportunity
Award 2019, Mobile Banking App of the Year 2019, and more.
In February 2023, Standard Chartered, one of the leading Ghana Commercial Banks, launched a reading club project to improve child literacy. In May of the same year, it partnered with Liverpool Football Club to host a soccer clinic for children.
4. Absa Bank Ghana Limited
Formerly known as Barclays Bank Ghana, Absa Bank provides a
range of banking services and has a strong presence in the country. It was
founded in 1917 and its headquarters are also in Accra.
Absa Bank Ghana Limited, a prominent member of the Ghana Commercial Banks, extends its services to Ghanaians living abroad, providing them with the convenience of a 24/7 call center for any questions or needs. This bank is affiliated with Absa Group Limited, a key player in Africa’s diversified financial services sector. The Absa Group operates in 12 countries, including Ghana, and actively contributes to the economic and community growth of the regions it serves. Some of the services that Absa Bank Ghana Limited offers are personal banking, premier
banking, business banking, corporate and international banking, and digital banking. Their website provides full transparency with a list of their annual reports.
Reviews are mixed. Some customers praise Absa Bank Ghana Limited for their great customer
service while others write one- or two-star reviews about their experience with
this bank. Nevertheless, since 2019 Absa Bank Ghana Limited seems to have been
working on improving its scores.
5. Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited
Known for its efficient and reliable Ghana Commercial Banks services, Zenith Bank offers a wide range of products and has a strong focus on customer satisfaction. It was founded in 2005 and has branches in Ghana, Nigeria,
It offers various services, such as a wide range of individual accounts that are tailored
to specific needs. Additionally, it includes several insurance plans, platinum
banking, and online banking.
Ghana Commercial Banks prioritize security, and Zenith Bank is no exception. Their website employs 128-bit encryption, the highest standard in online banking security. This advanced level of security ensures that customers can confidently conduct their online transactions.
In 2022, Ghana Commercial Banks, specifically Zenith Bank, fulfilled the role of headline sponsor for the WAEC Distinction Awards Ceremony, showing its commitment to promoting education in Ghana. Then, in 2023, Zenith Bank was voted the financial institution of the year in Ghana – West Africa Business Excellence Awards.
All in all, another outstanding bank in Ghana.
Commercial banks that provide this type of safety measures, help worthy
causes, and whose primary focus is the customer can only be recommended.
In conclusion, these banks offer outstanding services and banking security. What
stands out the most is that many of them give back to the community in Ghana. Commercial banks that are not
only invested in accounts but also the lives of others lead by example.
One common complaint found online is that several phone lines go unanswered. In general,
though, the mentioned Ghana commercial
banks are all commendable, customer-focused, and safe. Nowadays when much
banking is done online, the busy or non-responsive phone lines might not be such
a big issue, after all.
