Ghana has taken a bold step in positioning itself as a leader in Africa’s micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) space with its first-ever official celebration of International MSME Day, held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra on Friday.

At the heart of the celebration was a powerful message from Margaret Ansei, Acting CEO of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), who framed the event not as a ceremonial observance but as a “purposeful convergence” of public and private stakeholders to chart a new direction for MSME growth, digital competitiveness, and inclusive development.

“MSMEs are not just a sector. They are the backbone of Ghana’s economy,” Mrs Ansei stated. “They represent 92% of registered businesses, contribute 70% to GDP, and provide 85% of manufacturing employment.”

As many African nations struggle to scale up SME contributions to national output, Ghana is ranking high among countries prioritising MSMEs as engines of economic resilience.

By setting out an ambitious digital and policy agenda, Ghana is sending a clear message across the continent about its reform mindset.

Ansei announced the upcoming MSME Gateway Portal, a one-stop digital platform built with the UNDP to centralise business tools, resources, and support services.

“It’s a major milestone in our digital inclusion journey,” she said, reflecting Ghana’s drive to leapfrog structural bottlenecks through tech-enabled innovation.

Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare backed this bold vision with a four-point national delivery target for MSMEs by 2027:

• Unlock GHS 6 billion in lending for 100,000 MSMEs, 60% earmarked for women and youth.
• Establish three new industrial and agroecological parks.
• Cut product certification time and cost by 40%.
• Onboard 250,000 MSMEs onto digital commerce platforms.

As global development partners—from the UNDP and EU to GIZ and Stanbic Bank—join hands with local agencies, Ghana is stepping into a regional leadership role on MSME reform.

Unlike many African countries where MSMEs remain stuck in the informal sector, Ghana’s proactive approach, anchored in data, digitalisation, and partnerships, may soon serve as a continental benchmark.

“Let today be a celebration of how far we’ve come, and a reaffirmation of how much further we will go together,” Ansei declared, capping a milestone day of exhibitions, policy panels, and networking clinics.