Takoradi: Some 150 entrepreneurs, including members of the Dressmakers and Tailoring Associations, business groups, and sole proprietors, have benefited from MTN Ghana’s SME Business Clinic in Takoradi in the Western Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the two-day programme, held on the theme ‘Setting up your business for growth,’ is part of MTN’s flagship SME Accelerate Programme to build SMEs’ capacity in areas such as financial inclusion to boost the growth and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Mr. Abubakari Sidick, Senior Manager for SME Sales at MTN, emphasized that SMEs were not fully utilizing digital tools to grow their businesses. He stated, “For any SME in this country to be where it ought to be, there must be digital adoption and transformation, and that is the essence of this clinic we are organizing.”
The SME Business Clinic has previously been held in Kumasi, Tamale, and Accra, providing entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn, share experiences, and explore digital solutions that could enhance their operations.
The initiative is also part of MTN’s long-term agenda to drive innovation, competitiveness, and sustainability within the SME sector. MTN has partnered with organizations such as SME GrowAfrica (SMEGA) and Sanlam Alliance to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the programme. After the training, SMEGA will work with selected SMEs through structured programmes that prepare them for opportunities both locally and internationally.
Mr. Abubakari-Sidick noted, “We don’t end the programme here. We collect participants’ contacts to monitor implementation, and those who successfully apply what had been taught are supported with additional opportunities.” Although MTN does not directly provide capital to SMEs, the company and its partners assist entrepreneurs in preparing bankable business plans, making them eligible for funding from financial institutions.
Additionally, MTN’s Mobile Money platform offers six different loan products, including quick loans, that SMEs can conveniently access to support their operations.