Absa Place in Accra earns IFC EDGE Advanced green building certification

Absa Bank Ghana's new headquarters, Absa Place, has achieved EDGE Advanced certification from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), recognising the building's standards of energy and water efficiency.

The building is located at 64 Independence Avenue in Ridge, Accra. The EDGE certification system, developed by IFC, assesses improvements in energy use, water consumption and the embodied carbon of construction materials against a conventional building baseline, with EDGE Advanced recognising a significantly higher level of resource efficiency than standard EDGE certification.

Absa Place incorporates a 570-kilowatt-peak solar installation designed to provide at least 80 per cent of the bank's on-site power requirements. It also uses a water-cooled chiller system, which is more energy-efficient than conventional air-cooled systems, while its glass facade is designed to block more than 70 per cent of external heat before it reaches the interior.

Absa Bank Ghana Managing Director Dr Edward Nartey Botchway said the certification validates the bank's commitment to infrastructure designed for long-term operational efficiency. "We did not just want a bigger building; we wanted one that would remain efficient and relevant twenty years from now," he said.

Deo Onyango, IFC's Principal Country Officer for Ghana, said the investment sets a benchmark for green buildings in the country and shows how the private sector can help shape more resource-efficient and resilient urban growth across Africa.

The certification builds on the bank's wider environmental efforts. In 2025, Absa Bank Ghana operated 54 solar-powered automated teller machines, collectively generating approximately one million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually. The new headquarters also includes collaborative work areas, silent pods, a rooftop events area, a gym, an auditorium and a baby bay for nursing mothers.