As Head of Business Development at Ecobank Ghana, with experience in pan-African expansions, I’d structure this workshop around Ghana’s internationalization trends (2.1), post-2017 cleanup, and BoG’s outward investment guidelines. Use examples like Ecobank’s African footprint versus local banks’ limited scope, emphasizing ethical motives per sustainable banking principles.

Workshop Overview
International entry diversifies risks and boosts profitability in Ghana’s saturated market. This session covers five key motives, with group discussions on applicability to our bank.

Five Motives for Banks Entering International Markets

1. Diversification of Risk and Revenue Streams: Spread exposure beyond domestic volatility (e.g., Ghana’s DDEP impacts 2022-2024). E.g., Stanbic Bank’s South African parent mitigates local currency risks, aligning with Basel III liquidity guidelines adapted by BoG.
2. Access to Larger Markets and Growth Opportunities: Tap into bigger customer bases for scale, per market sizes/trends (2.1). Ghanaian banks enter ECOWAS countries for SME lending, countering local saturation from fintechs (3.2 non-traditional competitors).
3. Economies of Scale and Cost Efficiencies: Share resources like IT systems across borders, reducing per-unit costs. E.g., Centralized support (5.5) in international groups lowers operational expenses, compliant with BoG’s efficiency directives.
4. Following Customers and Strategic Alliances: Support multinational clients’ expansions (e.g., Ghanaian exporters to Nigeria). Builds loyalty (4.3), as seen in Barclays (now Absa) following corporate clients, enhancing competitive strategies (3.1).
5. Regulatory and Competitive Pressures: Enter markets with favorable regulations or to preempt rivals. Post-cleanup, BoG encourages regional expansion for resilience; e.g., GCB’s exploratory moves into West Africa to counter international banks’ strengths (3.5).

Interactive Elements

• Case Study: Analyze UT Bank’s failure due to lack of international diversification.
• Q&A: Discuss BoG approvals under Act 930 for feasibility.
• Takeaway: Emphasize integration with national environment analysis (2.1) for profitable, compliant entry.