By Grace Zigah
Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA), is expected to visit the Bank of Ghana on November 4 and 5, 2026, for high-level discussions on financial inclusion, digital finance and measures to improve the financial well-being of households and businesses.
The visit, announced by the Bank of Ghana in a press release dated November 3, will form part of Queen Máxima’s official engagements in Ghana and provide an opportunity to assess the country’s progress in expanding access to financial services.
During her visit, Queen Máxima is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with the Governor, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama. Their discussions will focus on Ghana’s achievements in financial inclusion and digital finance, as well as policy and regulatory priorities needed to strengthen the financial health of households, workers and small businesses.
The Bank of Ghana and Queen Máxima will also jointly host a Roundtable on Financial Health, bringing together senior representatives from across the financial services industry and development sector.
Participants are expected to include leaders from commercial banks, electronic money issuers, payment service providers, insurance companies, pension providers, regulators and development partners.
The discussions will examine how Ghana can measure financial health and expand access to financial products and services that enable individuals and businesses to manage their finances more effectively.
Key areas expected to feature include innovation in savings, responsible lending, insurance, pensions, investment opportunities and the role of workplaces in supporting employees’ financial well-being. The roundtable will also explore ways financial institutions and other stakeholders can work collectively to improve financial health across the country.
The visit follows earlier discussions between Queen Máxima, Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Bank of Ghana Governor Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama during the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.
Financial health featured prominently in those discussions as an important factor in strengthening economic resilience and promoting inclusive growth.
According to the Bank of Ghana, the visit comes at a time when the country has made significant progress in expanding access to financial services, particularly through digital platforms.
Citing the World Bank’s Global Findex Database 2025, the central bank said 81 per cent of adults in Ghana held a financial account, placing the country among Africa’s leading digital financial inclusion success stories.
Ghana’s expanding digital payments infrastructure and growing fintech ecosystem have contributed to this progress, although the next phase of the financial inclusion agenda is expected to focus more closely on whether individuals and businesses can effectively use financial services to improve their economic security.
Financial health goes beyond simply having a bank account or access to mobile money. It also involves the ability to manage daily financial obligations, withstand unexpected financial shocks, plan for the future and make informed financial decisions.
The Bank of Ghana said it remained committed to developing a safe and inclusive financial system that supports the financial well-being of Ghanaians while contributing to broader economic growth.
Queen Máxima’s engagements are therefore expected to provide a platform for discussions on how Ghana can build on its digital financial inclusion gains and strengthen policies that make financial services more accessible, responsible and beneficial to households, workers and businesses.
