Debt Crowdfunding: Fixed Returns from Ghanaian Businesses

What is a bond or debenture?

When you invest in a debt campaign, you are lending money to the business. In return, the business pays you a fixed interest rate (the coupon) at regular intervals and repays your principal at maturity. It is similar to a savings account but with higher potential returns and higher risk.

Plain vanilla bonds on Ardent CrowdFund

SEC Ghana Crowdfunding Guidelines 2024 permit 'plain vanilla' bonds — simple debt instruments with a fixed interest rate, defined maturity date, and full principal repayment at maturity. No complex derivatives or variable-rate instruments. What you see in the offer document is what you get.

How to read a repayment schedule

The repayment schedule shows you exactly when payments are due, how much each payment is (interest vs principal), and what your total return will be. For example: a GHS 10,000 investment at 20% per annum over 24 months with quarterly coupon payments would give you GHS 1,000 every 3 months and your GHS 10,000 back at the end.

Comparing to bank savings rates in Ghana

As of 2026, typical bank savings rates in Ghana are 10–18% per annum. Debt crowdfunding campaigns on Ardent CrowdFund target higher returns to compensate for the additional risk — typically 18–28% per annum. The premium reflects the illiquidity and default risk of lending to SMEs versus a regulated bank.

What happens if the business defaults?

If an issuer misses a payment, Ardent CrowdFund will: notify all investors immediately, contact the issuer and document the default, attempt to recover funds through the contractual remedies in the offer document, and in serious cases refer the matter to legal counsel. There is no guarantee of recovery — understand that default is a real risk before investing in debt campaigns.