MTN Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through digital innovation, capacity building and strategic partnerships aimed at accelerating business growth and economic development.
The commitment was reiterated at the launch of the national celebration of the 2026 World Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day in Accra, held under the theme, “Elevating the Future Generation of Ghana’s MSMEs Through Digital Empowerment and Innovation.”
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Ghana, Angela Mensah-Poku, the Senior Manager for SME Sales, Partnerships and Business Broadband, Mr Mohammed Abubakari-Sidick, described MSMEs as the backbone of Ghana’s economy and called for sustained investment in the sector.
He said while World MSME Day celebrates the contribution of entrepreneurs to national development, it should also serve as a platform for stakeholders to provide practical support to help businesses thrive.
Mr Abubakari-Sidick commended the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) for sustaining the annual celebration over the past decade, describing it as a key driver of Ghana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
He noted that MTN Ghana’s 30-year presence in the country underscores the critical role MSMEs play in economic growth, adding that entrepreneurs remain the driving force behind thriving communities and local commerce.
MTN Business Programmes and SME Support
According to him, MTN Business continues to invest in digital infrastructure and enterprise solutions that enable small businesses to improve efficiency, expand their customer base and conduct secure digital transactions.
He highlighted the company’s MTN SME Accelerate Programme, which provides entrepreneurs with business support through sector-specific training, one-on-one SME clinics and the annual MTN SME Awards.
Mr Abubakari-Sidick disclosed that more than 700 SMEs in Ho, Kumasi and Koforidua have benefited from the programme this year, with plans underway to extend the initiative to Tamale, Takoradi and Accra.
As part of the celebration, MTN Ghana also announced its support for the MSME Business Pitch Competition, under which five entrepreneurs will receive GH¢30,000 each and an MTN YellowBiz package to support business growth.
He said the initiative aligns with MTN Business’ vision of equipping entrepreneurs with digital tools and innovative solutions needed to compete in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
Call for Collaboration to Strengthen MSME Ecosystem
Mr Abubakari-Sidick called on government, development partners and the private sector to deepen collaboration and invest in policies, platforms and partnerships that will expand opportunities for Ghanaian entrepreneurs.
He reaffirmed MTN Ghana’s commitment to building an inclusive business ecosystem that provides enterprises of all sizes with the technology, skills and support required for sustainable growth.
Government to Roll Out Financing Support Programme for MSMEs
Delivering a speech on behalf of the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Director of Administration at the Ministry, Mr Yaw Sakyi, announced that government will introduce a dedicated financing support programme to help MSMEs prepare bankable business proposals and improve access to credit.
He said the initiative will be implemented in collaboration with the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and other strategic partners to equip entrepreneurs with the skills to develop, present and defend investment-ready business proposals before financial institutions.
The Minister described MSMEs as the backbone of Ghana’s economy, noting their contribution across agriculture, agribusiness, manufacturing, trade, services, technology and the creative industries while creating jobs and driving local economic development.
She reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensuring that no entrepreneur is left behind amid rapid digital transformation.
“The future of enterprise may be technology-driven, but it must remain rooted in people, opportunity, dignity and inclusion,” she said.
She disclosed that between the third quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, the Ghana Enterprises Agency, working with the Ministry and its partners, provided business development services to more than 306,000 MSMEs nationwide.
According to her, the support included business advisory services, capacity building, coaching and start-up assistance, with 70 per cent of beneficiaries being women-led enterprises.
She added that 95,000 youth-led businesses benefited from programmes including the Business in a Box Project, the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project and the Harnessing Agriculture Productivity and Prosperity for Youth Project.
The Minister further revealed that 3,000 businesses received training in digital skills, e-commerce and artificial intelligence readiness, while 12,000 enterprises were supported to formalise their businesses.
She added that 13,000 MSMEs either received financing or were linked to financial institutions, while 6,000 businesses benefited from market access and export readiness support across all 16 regions.
Despite the progress, she acknowledged that access to affordable finance, technology adoption, standards compliance, packaging, market access and business sustainability remain key challenges confronting the sector.
She noted that many entrepreneurs struggle to secure financing because they are unable to prepare proposals that meet the requirements of financial institutions.
To address this, she said the Ministry, in collaboration with the GEA and strategic partners, will introduce a financing support programme to train entrepreneurs in developing bankable proposals and pitching them effectively to investors and lenders.
She also identified standards compliance as a major barrier preventing many Ghanaian businesses from accessing export opportunities under trade agreements with the European Union and the United Kingdom.
She said the Ministry is working closely with the Ghana Standards Authority, the Food and Drugs Authority and other regulatory bodies to support MSMEs to meet international sanitary, food safety and quality standards.
She further announced that a dedicated certification support programme for MSMEs will soon be launched through the Ministry and GEA platforms to support businesses in obtaining required certifications for international markets.
She reaffirmed government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for business through policies and programmes that promote enterprise development, agribusiness, export expansion, digital trade, market access and job creation.
GEA Launches MSME Digital Gateway
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Margaret Ansei, said Ghana’s MSMEs must embrace digital transformation to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy.
She described the launch of the MSME Digital Gateway as a major milestone in efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive and digitally empowered MSME ecosystem.
Mrs Ansei said the platform, developed in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), provides entrepreneurs with market intelligence, business information and digital connectivity.
She also announced the integration of the Ghana Entrepreneurship Policy Toolkit, developed with GIZ, into the platform to simplify regulatory processes and support business growth.
She reaffirmed GEA’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and building a resilient ecosystem where businesses can thrive.
UNDP Highlights MSMEs as Backbone of Economy
Mr Niloy Banerjee, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ghana Resident Representative, has underscored the critical role of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in driving economic growth, describing them as the backbone of Ghana’s economy.
Mr Banerjee made the remarks during the launch of the MSME Digital Gateway in Accra, a platform developed through collaboration between the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), UNDP and other development partners.
He said SMEs account for nearly 90 per cent of businesses and more than 70 per cent of private sector employment, stressing that their contribution to job creation has become even more critical amid rapid technological transformation.
He noted that with the rise of digitalisation and artificial intelligence, economic growth has become increasingly “jobs inelastic,” meaning employment does not grow at the same pace as GDP, making SMEs essential as job creators and a key economic buffer.
According to him, SMEs across agriculture and commodity value chains remain among the highest contributors to employment per unit of production, reinforcing their importance in inclusive development.
He added that SMEs contribute between one-fifth and one-quarter of Ghana’s GDP, depending on the measurement period, stressing that “there is nothing we cannot achieve through the agency of SMEs.”
Mr Banerjee announced that UNDP, in partnership with the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), GIZ and other UN agencies, has supported the development of the MSME Digital Gateway, designed as a one-stop resource centre and digital marketplace for small businesses.
He explained that the platform includes an e-commerce component that enables both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions among MSMEs.
He further revealed that three UN agencies contributed to different components of the initiative, including support for Ghana’s e-commerce strategy and the development of a digital identity system for SMEs to securely store and manage business information.
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Mr Banerjee said the project reflects a long-term partnership aimed at strengthening digital inclusion and improving access to markets for small businesses.
He commended the Ghana Enterprises Agency and partner institutions for the collaboration, noting that the initiative had been developed through sustained technical engagement.
Despite the heavy rains during the event, he praised stakeholders for attending, describing it as evidence of the importance of the initiative to Ghana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo
