An evening with Origen: A celebration of partnership, impact, and shared vision

Origen Private Debt Fund (OPDF) hosted a high-level stakeholder engagement event in Accra as part of its continued efforts to engage investors, project sponsors and regulators; strengthen portfolio relationships; and communicate its long-term strategy for project finance in Ghana.

The event, held on Thursday, 27 November 2025 at Airport West Hotel, brought together institutional partners, investors, portfolio company executives, due diligence partners, and members of Origen’s governance structures. The engagement formed part of the Fund’s market development programme and underscored its emphasis on transparency, governance, and disciplined capital deployment.

Focus on Strategy, Governance, and Risk Management

In his opening remarks, Board Chairman Mr. Ben Berko reflected on Origen’s growth trajectory and operational milestones achieved in 2025. He emphasised the responsibility attached to stewarding institutional capital and reaffirmed management’s commitment to strong governance, capital preservation, and sustainable returns.

A joint presentation led by Yaw Benneh-Amponsah, Chief Investment Officer, and Richard Deh, Chief Operating Officer, offered stakeholders a detailed overview of Origen’s investment strategy, portfolio construction framework, and risk management philosophy. The session outlined the Fund’s approach to structuring private debt transactions, credit assessment, covenant design, and post-investment monitoring.

The presenters highlighted Origen’s focus on downside protection through security structures, robust covenants, and hands-on project oversight. They also detailed how technical support and governance improvements form part of the Fund’s value creation strategy within investee companies.

Investor Confidence and Institutional Oversight

Yvonne Badanzo Buliga, Head of Portfolio Management and Operations at Petra, addressed participants on the Fund’s governance framework and investment processes, reaffirming the confidence of pension fund investors in Origen’s operational discipline and long-term value proposition. She noted that private debt continues to play an increasingly important role in delivering stable, risk-adjusted returns for long-term institutional capital.

Portfolio Impact and Enterprise Growth

Prime Meridian Docks Limited (PMDL) was represented by its Managing Director, Mr. Stanley Ahorlu, while Beaufort Properties Limited (BPL) was represented by its Managing Director, Mr. Ernest Hanson. Both executives delivered testimonials on how Origen’s structured capital had strengthened governance and supported business expansion.

PMDL’s Project Shiprite, a USD 137 million ship repair dock and maintenance facility in Takoradi backed by Afreximbank, AfDB and TDB, noted that Origen’s mezzanine participation helped de-risk construction and crowd in senior lenders. BPL, an established Accra-based residential developer with multiple completed and award-winning projects, cited improved balance sheet resilience and improved project execution as key outcomes of the financing.

Strategic Rationale

Origen reiterated its core mandate of addressing the financing gap faced by feasible project with high impact potential that remain underserved by traditional lenders. The Fund continues to focus on deploying patient, well-structured capital into productive sectors of the economy while maintaining a strong risk-adjusted return profile for investors.

Beyond financial performance, management emphasised that portfolio companies generate broader economic benefits through employment creation, supplier development, and tax contributions, reinforcing the Fund’s alignment with national development priorities.

Economic and Stakeholder Impact

Origen directs capital from institutional investors into feasible projects in Ghana, thereby enabling them to earn a high risk-adjusted return on their investment. Corporate partners collaborating on specialised financing structures were also acknowledged for their role in enabling sectoral scale. In addition, the programme underscored the broader spillover effects of private credit deployment, including job creation, supply-chain development, and wider economic participation across communities and industries.

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