The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency( GEA), Margaret Ansei, has underscored the importance of practical private-sector-led initiatives to help small businesses grow, describing them as essential to strengthening Ghana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Speaking at an event linked to the MTN Ghana SME Accelerate programme, Ms. Ansei said Ghana needs more targeted programmes designed to move businesses forward rather than initiatives that merely “sound good.”
According to her, she has a strong interest in programmes that complement the mandate of the Ghana Enterprises Agency, which is responsible for promoting and developing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
“As the agency mandated to oversee the development and promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises, we remain very close to the realities of these businesses,” she said.
She noted that while small businesses possess enormous growth potential, they often face significant operational challenges that limit their ability to scale.
Ms. Ansei explained that MSMEs form the backbone of Ghana’s economy, representing the majority of registered businesses in the country and serving as the primary drivers of employment and innovation.
“Small and medium enterprises make up the most significant number of registered businesses in this country. They are the primary creators of employment, the incubators of innovation, and the connective tissue of local economies across every region,” she said.
According to her, when an SME grows, the benefits extend far beyond the business itself.
“When an SME grows, it doesn’t grow alone. It pulls suppliers along, it pulls employees along, it strengthens communities and ultimately benefits the wider economy,” she added.
However, Ms. Ansei stressed that the success of SMEs depends heavily on access to the right resources and support systems.
She explained that the difference between businesses that scale successfully and those that struggle often lies in the quality of ideas, access to knowledge, and the availability of experienced mentors.
“What separates a business that scales from one that struggles is often access to knowledge, to the right networks, and to mentors who have already navigated the terrain,” she said.
She said programmes such as the SME Accelerate initiative by MTN Ghana help close these gaps by providing entrepreneurs with mentorship, practical guidance, and opportunities to refine their business models.
The event also featured remarks from Angela Mensah-Poku, Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Ghana, who highlighted the telecommunications company’s commitment to supporting the growth of Ghana’s SME sector.
Ms. Ansei further commended the decision to expand the programme beyond major urban centres, noting that entrepreneurial talent exists across the country and should not be limited to cities like Accra.
“I want to acknowledge the decision to expand this programme into more regions. This is crucial to our nation’s growth,” she said.
She explained that innovation and business potential are spread throughout Ghana, including regions that often receive less support and fewer opportunities.
“Innovative entrepreneurial talent is not clustered only in Accra or the cities we are familiar with. It is distributed across the country,” she noted.
For Ghana to achieve inclusive economic growth, Ms. Ansei said entrepreneurs in all regions must have equal access to mentorship, tools and opportunities.
“We must ensure that an entrepreneur in the Northern Region or in the Volta Region has the same access to tools and mentorship as one in Greater Accra,” she said.
She urged participating entrepreneurs to take full advantage of the opportunities presented through the programme, emphasizing that success depends largely on the commitment and dedication of the business owners themselves.
“The doors being opened through this programme are very real. Walk through them with intention,” she advised.
Ms. Ansei encouraged entrepreneurs to take the mentorship offered seriously and invest time in developing their business ideas.
“The networks you will build here—invest in them because opportunity is only as valuable as the commitment you bring to it,” she said.
She reaffirmed the Ghana Enterprises Agency’s commitment to collaborating with private sector partners such as MTN Ghana to build a stronger and more competitive SME ecosystem.
According to her, the goal is to help Ghanaian businesses grow into companies capable of competing confidently in both local and international markets.
“On behalf of the Ghana Enterprises Agency, we commend MTN and its partners for this investment in Ghana’s future. We remain committed to being a partner in building an SME ecosystem that can produce globally competitive businesses,” she said.
