Accra, Ghana — April 24, 2025 — Impact Investing Ghana (IIGh), Ghana’s National Advisory Board for Impact Investing, is pleased to announce the appointment of Essie Anno-Sackey and Shirley Somuah to its Board of Directors. The newly elected board members will each serve a three-year term.
These appointments underscore IIGh’s dedication to unlocking capital for impactful ventures and strengthening support for both the supply and demand sides of the impact investing ecosystem in Ghana and the broader West African region.
Essie Anno-Sackey brings a wealth of experience as a Director and shareholder of Century Aviation Ltd., a provider of helicopter services to the Oil & Gas and Mining sectors. Her passion for empowering women is evident in her co-founding of Legacy Girls College, Ghana’s first private all-girls senior secondary boarding school focused on 21st-century education and leadership, and the EOS Foundation, an NGO supporting grassroots women through seed capital, training, and development. Her prior leadership as Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company (2007–2009) was marked by significant infrastructure upgrades and logistical achievements. As a board member, Essie will contribute to IIGh’s Demand for Impact Capital pillar, focusing on empowering businesses and projects that generate measurable social impact alongside financial returns.
Essie Anno-Sackey commented, “I am honoured to join the board of Impact Investing Ghana and contribute to an organisation that is so vital to the future of our nation. I believe deeply in the power of businesses to drive positive change, and I look forward to supporting IIGh’s efforts to empower impactful ventures and foster a more equitable and sustainable economy.”
Shirley Somuah is a Partner at CardinalStone Capital Advisors (CCA), a West Africa-focused private equity fund manager providing growth capital to high-potential SMEs. With nearly two decades of experience in investment, finance, and strategy, Shirley is committed to building transformational businesses across Africa. Her leadership encompasses deal sourcing, transaction execution, and portfolio oversight across crucial sectors such as agriculture, consumer goods, services, and industrials. At IIGh, Shirley will contribute to the Supply of Impact Capital pillar, supporting the mobilisation of funding from asset owners and financial intermediaries dedicated to investing in impact-driven enterprises.
Shirley Somuah stated, “I am delighted to join the board of Impact Investing Ghana and support their mission. I am excited to leverage my experience in private equity to help mobilise capital towards impactful businesses and initiatives in Ghana and the wider West African region. I believe that by connecting investors with the right opportunities, we can unlock significant social and economic value.”
“The addition of Essie and Shirley to our board marks an exciting new chapter for Impact Investing Ghana,” said Alex Asiedu, Board Chair of IIGh. “Their diverse expertise and deep understanding of both the investment landscape and the needs of impactful businesses will be invaluable as we continue to build a thriving impact investing ecosystem in Ghana.”
Amma Lartey, CEO of Impact Investing Ghana, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Essie and Shirley to the IIGh board. Their proven leadership and distinct perspectives from both the demand and supply sides of capital will be instrumental in accelerating our mission to channel more investment towards businesses creating positive social and environmental impact. Their insights will be crucial in shaping innovative solutions that are both globally aligned and locally relevant, ultimately benefiting communities across Ghana and West Africa.”
About Impact Investing Ghana
Impact Investing Ghana (IIGh) – an independent, private-sector-led initiative – is Ghana’s National Impact Investing Ecosystem Builder, dedicated to building a thriving impact investing ecosystem in the country. As Ghana’s representative to GSG Impact and a member of the Africa Impact Investing Group (AIIG), IIGh works to drive more capital towards businesses and initiatives that generate positive social and environmental impact, contributing to sustainable development across Ghana and the West African sub-region. IIGh aims to catalyse $1 billion in impact funds by supporting impact ventures, connecting them with catalytic capital to scale sustainable development, and advocating for policies that enable impact investing to flourish.