MTN Ghana says strengthening the capacity of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to access finance, markets and digital tools is critical to accelerating business growth and Ghana’s wider economic development.
Mr Mohammed Abubakari-Sidick, Senior Manager, SME Sales, Business Broadband and Partnerships at MTN Ghana, said SMEs were strategically important to the Ghanaian economy because of their contribution to employment and economic activity.
He said MTN was therefore expanding its support for SMEs beyond telecommunications by providing digital solutions, business training, access to finance and market opportunities.
Mr Abubakari-Sidick made the remarks in an interview with the media on the sidelines of an MTN SME Clinic in Accra.
The two-day clinic, one of a series organised by the company, attracted about 150 participants, with businesses actively engaging resource persons on challenges affecting their operations.
He said the strong participation demonstrated the growing demand among SMEs for practical knowledge and tools to move their businesses from survival to sustainable growth.
“One of the opportunities that are available for SMEs is particularly in areas such as access to finance,” he said.
He said MTN’s Mobile Money platform enabled eligible SMEs to access loans to invest in their businesses, with subsequent repayment creating opportunities to access further financing.
For businesses seeking larger financing, he said MTN also connected them to financial institutions, including Fidelity Bank, which participated in the clinic to educate entrepreneurs on available financing opportunities.
Mr Abubakari-Sidick said access to markets was another major challenge the company was seeking to address through digitalisation.
He said MTN’s digital business solutions enabled SMEs to establish an online presence, including through websites, allowing them to reach customers beyond their immediate geographical markets.
He explained that an online presence could expose businesses to a wider customer base and create opportunities to participate in the global digital marketplace.
He said the objective was to equip SMEs with practical tools that would help them transition from merely surviving to growing and expanding their businesses.
“When they are able to incorporate these learnings as part of their operational activities, we are anticipating that we should be able to grow exponentially,” he said.
Mr Abubakari-Sidick said MTN would continue its support through a Mini MBA programme being implemented with one of its partners.
Under the programme, selected SMEs that had demonstrated strong business performance would be grouped into cohorts and undergo about 13 weeks of training, mentorship and business development support.
Participants who successfully complete the programme would receive certification.
He said participants in the SME clinic would also receive certificates of participation, while the company was preparing for its annual SME Awards scheduled for next month.
Mr Abubakari-Sidick said MTN’s sustained investment in the SME sector was based on its strategic importance to Ghana’s economy.
He said SMEs accounted for a significant share of economic activity and employment, making their growth important to job creation and national development.
“When these SMEs are strengthened and they grow, Ghana also grows. Our economy grows because they create employment for everybody within the country,” he said.
He said MTN was paying particular attention to women-owned businesses because women entrepreneurs demonstrated resilience despite facing additional challenges in accessing resources and growing their businesses.
The company, he said, had therefore developed tailored solutions for female SME entrepreneurs, providing affordable voice and data services to support their communication needs.
The solution also includes a health support feature that enables women entrepreneurs to access medical advice remotely.
Mr Abubakari-Sidick said the broader objective was to ensure that SMEs had access to the tools, knowledge and networks required to become more productive, competitive and sustainable.
He said MTN would continue working with financial institutions, business development partners and other stakeholders to provide SMEs with a more comprehensive support ecosystem.
