MIIF CEO Urges Women in Finance to Lead with Resilience and Innovation
The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), Justina Nelson, has called on women leaders in the financial services sector to embrace resilience, discipline, and innovation as tools for transforming adversity into sustainable organisational and national value.
Speaking at the maiden Women in Finance Summit held in Accra under the theme “Turning Obstacles into Gold: Unlocking Resilience and Leadership in Finance,” Justina Nelson stated that difficult moments should strengthen rather than weaken leaders. She stressed that resilience enables women in leadership to remain focused and deliver lasting impact even under pressure. Mrs. Nelson added that her appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) coincided with significant institutional changes, including amendments to the MIIF Act which reduced the Fund’s statutory share of mineral royalties from 77.6 per cent to 2 per cent, alongside a change in political administration. According to her, such circumstances could easily be perceived as setbacks, but leaders who remain steady under pressure are better positioned to make sound decisions and guide their institutions through complexity.
“These circumstances could easily have been perceived as setbacks.
However, leaders who remain steady under pressure are better positioned to make sound decisions, inspire confidence, and guide their institutions through complexity,” she noted.
Mrs. Nelson also touched on the mandate of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) to maximise value from Ghana’s mineral resources for both present and future generations. She highlighted recent institutional reforms at the Fund, including the strengthening of governance systems, clarification of organisational roles, and the integration of risk management, compliance, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations, which she said have been key to building a resilient and credible institution. Mrs. Nelson disclosed that these reforms have translated into growth, with MIIF recording its highest growth in royalty inflows since its inception, despite ongoing macroeconomic adjustments and currency appreciation.
Touching on the government’s RESET Agenda, she urged financial sector leaders to look beyond financial returns and focus on broader national impact, including sustainability, intergenerational equity and community value creation.
“The true test of leadership is not performance in stable times, but focus, clarity and character under extreme conditions,” she stated.
The Women in Finance Summit brought together stakeholders across the financial services sector to celebrate women’s leadership, share experiences and explore strategies for strengthening resilience and promoting inclusive leadership in finance.
Source: Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF)
About The Author
