Stanbic Bank Ghana has called on real estate developers across Africa to pay greater attention to project preparation and structure in order to improve their chances of securing financing for property developments.
The call was made by Kobby Bentsi-Enchill, Head of Investment Banking at Stanbic Bank Ghana, during the Africa Real Estate Festival, where industry leaders, investors, and developers gathered to discuss the financing challenges affecting the growth of the real estate sector across the continent.
According to him, innovative ideas alone are not enough to attract financing, stressing that banks place significant importance on proper planning, documentation, and project credibility before committing funds.
“When a developer walks through our doors with a project, the quality of the idea matters, but it is rarely the deciding factor. What separates a fundable project from one that stalls at the assessment stage is preparation. Complete documentation, credible financial projections, clear land title, and a well-articulated exit strategy tell us that the developer has done the hard thinking. That is what builds a bank’s confidence,” he said.
Mr. Bentsi-Enchill explained that many real estate proposals fail to secure financing not because demand is weak, but because developers often overlook important technical and financial requirements needed to make projects bankable.
He noted that although the real estate sector continues to show strong growth potential across Africa, financial institutions also have a responsibility to protect depositors and shareholders by ensuring projects are sustainable and financially viable before approving funding.
“The real estate sector across Africa holds enormous potential, and we genuinely want to support its growth. But a bank’s obligation is to its depositors and shareholders as much as it is to its borrowers. Due diligence is not a hurdle we place in front of developers to frustrate them; it is the mechanism by which we ensure that the projects we back are viable, sustainable, and structured to succeed,” he explained.
The investment banking executive further advised developers to engage experienced consultants, legal experts, quantity surveyors, and financial advisers from the early stages of their projects. According to him, professional guidance plays a major role in improving the credibility and financing prospects of any development proposal.
“The developers who consistently secure financing are the ones who surround themselves with the right expertise. A seasoned quantity surveyor, a competent legal team, a financial adviser who understands bankability; these are not luxuries. They are the people who ensure your proposal speaks the language that lenders understand and respond to,” he added.
Mr. Bentsi-Enchill also reaffirmed Stanbic Bank Ghana’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s real estate and construction sectors through financing and strategic partnerships aimed at driving national development.
He stressed that sustainable real estate development has the potential to create employment opportunities, increase tax revenue, and help address Ghana’s infrastructure deficit.
“Real estate development, done well, creates jobs, generates tax revenue, and addresses some of the most pressing infrastructure needs our country faces. Stanbic Bank is committed to being a dependable partner in that process for developers who are serious about building sustainably and building right,” he noted.
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