The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ghana and Fidelity Bank Ghana Ltd. have formalized a strategic partnership to strengthen the socioeconomic reintegration of Ghanaian returnees through financial literacy and inclusion initiatives. The partnership was sealed with the signing of a contribution agreement on 10 February 2026 in Accra, marking a shared commitment to empowering returnees with practical financial skills that support sustainable reintegration and economic resilience.
Under the partnership, implemented through IOM’s Empowering Ghanaian Returnees with Financial Literacy Skills initiative, Fidelity Bank will train 500 returnees across the Bono, Bono East, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions, covering key business skills such as budgeting, remittance management and basic business finance to support their sustainable reintegration.
“Reintegration isn’t an end point; it’s a new beginning,” said Fatou Diallo Ndiaye, IOM’s Chief of Mission for Ghana, Togo and Benin. “We’re thrilled to work with private sector actors such as Fidelity Bank Ghana Ltd. to unlock opportunities that help returnees and their communities not just recover but truly thrive. When we equip people with the right financial tools and knowledge, we’re investing in sustainable development for entire communities.”
IOM Partnership Strengthens Reintegration Through Finance
The initiative addresses a critical gap in support for migrants who return to Ghana, often with limited resources and facing social stigma. Since 2017 more than 7,000 Ghanaians stranded on dangerous migration routes have returned home with support from the Migrant Protection, Return and Reintegration Programme implemented by IOM. Financial literacy has emerged as a key factor in successful reintegration, according to migration experts, helping returnees navigate employment, entrepreneurship, and family obligations.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Julian Kingsley Opuni, Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Ghana Ltd, highlighted the importance of financial literacy in building inclusive growth. “At Fidelity, we have always taken banking into our markets and communities and built systems to ensure that language is never a barrier in understanding finances”, he said. “This partnership with the IOM validates that grassroots approach. We are proud to bring our practical experience to returnees, providing the financial roadmap they need to rebuild their lives with dignity and stability.”
For IOM, this collaboration represents a model for how private sector partnerships can expand support for vulnerable populations beyond what government and international organizations can provide alone.
The agreement between IOM and Fidelity Bank Ltd. was signed as part of IOM’s Empowering Ghanaian Returnees with Financial Literacy Skills initiative supported by the European Union through the Migrant Protection, Return and Reintegration Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRR-SSA).
Learn more about initiatives supporting financial literacy and sustainable reintegration for returnees. Visit LouisaOlaniyi.com.ng to read full stories and stay updated on programs making a real difference.
