Ghana has officially commemorated its first-ever International Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day, unveiling a new roadmap to position small businesses at the centre of national development, digital transformation, and inclusive economic growth.
At a high-profile event in Accra themed “Empowering MSMEs, Connecting Entrepreneurs for a Digital and Sustainable Future,” Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, outlined the government’s renewed vision for Ghana’s MSME sector, describing it as the foundation of the country’s economic future.
The Minister applauded Ghana’s MSMEs for their resilience and creativity. However, she was pointed out the structural challenges limiting their potentials, among them was poor access to finance, digital tools, and enabling regulatory frameworks.
She likened the experience of many small business owners to “watching a movie from outside the cinema, aware of the opportunity but unable to participate.”
Also, she identified barriers such as low digital literacy and the underutilisation of mobile and social media platforms.
Despite these hurdles, she hailed the innovative use of tools like WhatsApp, Instagram, and mobile money by young entrepreneurs, calling it a form of “digital bricolage” that exemplifies grassroots ingenuity.
To address these challenges, the Minister announced a comprehensive four-point strategic plan to be rolled out by 2027.
The plan includes unlocking GHS 6 billion in affordable lending for 100,000 MSMEs, 60% of which will be directed to women and youth-led businesses; operationalising three new industrial and agroecological parks to provide shared infrastructure and reduce business overheads; reducing regulatory certification timelines and costs by 40% for at least 5,000 enterprises; and digitally onboarding 250,000 MSMEs to improve formality, access to finance, and digital visibility.
Mrs. Ofosu-Adjare emphasised that while these targets are ambitious, they reflect the urgency of transforming the MSME sector in line with Ghana’s digital and sustainable development goals.
She revealed that the National MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy is currently being revised with a clear implementation plan to reflect new sector realities, and that the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) has been tasked to lead efforts targeting youth, women, persons with disabilities, and the informal sector.
Among the existing programmes supporting this agenda are the Business Regulatory Reform (BRR) to streamline enterprise certification, the Apprenticeship-to-Entrepreneurship Programme focused on digital skills, and plans for a dedicated Women’s Bank to increase financial access for female entrepreneurs.
She also highlighted flagship initiatives such as the Accelerated Export Development Programme (AEDP), Made-in-Ghana Promotion, and Feed the Industry, all structured to integrate MSMEs as key actors across agriculture, manufacturing, and industrial value chains.
The Minister pledged her support to Ghanaian women entrepreneurs, “from Makola market women to East Legon tech innovators”, calling for their transition from informal to formal, manual to digital, and local to global.
She described this commitment as more than policy; it is, she said, the foundation for a more equitable and competitive national economy.
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency, Madam Margaret Ansei, in her welcome address, underscored the significance of the inaugural celebration, describing it as a milestone in Ghana’s efforts to reposition the MSME sector for transformation.
