Accra, Ghana//-MTN Ghana today launched the 2026 edition of MTN SME Accelerate to drive and empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for growth in the country.
The move welcomed by owners of SMEs is expected to create a year-long awareness of issues impeding the growth of players in the country’s SME sector, which employs about 80 per cent of the population in Ghana. The sector also accounts for some 60 per cent of the country’s GDP.
The SME Accelerate would also give MTN Ghana the unique opportunity to get closer to SMEs and expose them to its SME Solutions, including MTN Yello Biz and Business Manager.
The SME Accelerate, which is in its third year, is part of MTN Ghana’s wider strategy to strengthen the country’s SME ecosystem, thereby propelling it toward greater economic growth in the country.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Ghana, Madam Angela Mensah-Poku, reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting SMEs across the 16 regions of the country.
SMEs, according to her, are the lifeblood of the nation and the economy, and MTN is committed to celebrating, training, and building with businesses of all sizes, from single-person operations to large corporates.
“This is the third year of SME Accelerate, and our goal remains clear: to ensure that communities across Ghana are not digitally left behind. The programme is year-long and spans all regions, providing SMEs with training, certification, market access, and opportunities to showcase their products. “We want entrepreneurs to not only learn but also connect directly with customers through fairs and exhibitions,” she said.
MTN Ghana has, over the past three years, engaged over 2,000 businesses, listening to their needs and providing solutions for common challenges. “Many SMEs struggle to access affordable tools and formalise their businesses,” Madam Mensah-Poku said.
To address these gaps, MTN has developed initiatives such as Yellow Biz, which provides SMEs with internet, email, and website access at low costs, she stated.
MTN Ghana CEO
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, who addressed the participants at the launch via video, underscored the important role that SMEs play in driving Ghana’s economic transformation and sustainable development.
He observed: “SMEs account for the majority of business activities and employment in Ghana, yet many still face structural challenges that limit their productivity and growth.
Across Ghana and other emerging markets, sustainable growth is built on productive small and medium enterprises, not large corporations alone”
Although SMEs dominate the business landscape, productivity per enterprise remains below its full potential due to barriers such as limited scale, fragmented markets, informality, restricted access to capital, and uneven digital adoption, Mr Blewett added.
While noting that MTN Ghana, as a technology and fintech platform operating nationwide, is strategically positioned to help address these challenges.
“We sit at a unique intersection of connectivity, financial services, and data infrastructure on the one hand, and enterprise enablement on the other. That position gives us both responsibility and opportunity”.
Minister for Youth Development says
Ghana’s Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, who was the special guest of honour, indicated that the SME Accelerate programme is a vital platform for empowering young entrepreneurs and driving Ghana’s economic transformation.
Many successful businesses begin from humble beginnings, such as small kiosks, market stalls, bedrooms, or even from the trunks of cars, he urged.
“What drives entrepreneurs forward is the belief that something small can grow into something significant”.
Mr Addo assured that the government remains committed to unlocking the entrepreneurial potential of young people through programmes such as the Adwumawura initiative, which is expected to support about 10,000 young entrepreneurs annually, and the National Apprenticeship Programme.
GEA’s SME Dev’t Efforts
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Margaret Ansei, lauded MTN Ghana for launching the initiative, saying, “It is the type of structured private-sector programme needed to support SME development in the country.
“This is the type of initiative Ghana needs more of, structured, private sector-led programmes designed to move businesses forward,” she said.
Nova Business School Africa
For the President of Nova Business School Africa, Professor Mathew Tsamenyi, whose institution serves as the knowledge partner for the MTN SME Accelerate, explained that the programme would equip entrepreneurs with the skills and mindset needed to grow their businesses.
He disclosed that in the previous edition of the programme had 50 SMEs participated in a 13-week accelerated Mini MBA programme hosted by the school and pledged that more SMEs would be empowered in this year’s edition.
The Manager for SME Sales at MTN Ghana, Louisa Anarfi, mentioned that several activities are planned under the 2026 SME Accelerate programme. These include- SME clinics across six regions, business webinars, exhibitions, and networking opportunities for entrepreneurs.
She was quick to add that the programme would also include initiatives such as supporting women entrepreneurs, youth-led businesses, family-owned enterprises, and businesses run by persons with disabilities.
