GIZ Ghana, in partnership with Ashesi University’s Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC) has graduated the second cohort of the Green Business Competitions incubation programme which is part of GIZ Ghana’s Support to the Private and Financial Sector in Ghana (PFS) initiative.

The programme aims to boost green employment by supporting at least 50 Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to collectively create over 100 jobs. It also seeks to ensure that all the participating MSMEs implement environmentally friendly production practices or successfully scale their existing green business models.

To date, 59 green and greening MSMEs have been incubated, with the first cohort alone creating 104 jobs in waste management, energy efficiency, water management, climate smart agriculture, and greening enterprises sectors helping scale their operations by their adoption and strengthening of sustainable, climate-adaptive business models.

Over the six-month incubation period, participating businesses were enrolled on an online learning platform and attended in-person masterclasses designed to strengthen their commercial and operational capacity. They also benefited from tailored technical advisory services and up to €10,000 financial grant to help them scale, achieve industry compliance, and minimize their carbon footprint.

Speaking at the ceremony, Christian Jahn, the Head of Programme, PFS, stated, “Almost everywhere, more than 50% of employment is created through MSMEs, making them essential players in climate action. However, their ability to adopt sustainable practices is still significantly constrained. What makes this day so special is that out of hundreds of applicants, 30 businesses were not only selected for the second cohort, but equipped with knowledge, coaching, grant funding, and most importantly, with the chance to lead and show that inclusive green growth is not just a dream, it is a conscious decision.”

The Director for Partnerships, Entrepreneurship & Investment at GCIC, Nabeel Adum-Atta, emphasised “MSMEs constitute 70% of the GDP of Ghana. On their own, they may look small, but together, they form a very powerful economic significance. MSMEs should not underrate or underestimate their contribution to the green economy of Ghana and should not underrate their contribution to the economic empowerment of the communities and the country at large.”

Reflecting on the impact of the support from GIZ and GCIC, Olivia Kipo, founder of Kobaa-Ok, noted “The utilisation of the grant from GIZ and GCIC has enabled the customers and smallholder farmers we work with to see the climate resilient practices that our business is implementing, which in turn is encouraging the smallholder farmers to implement climate smart practices on their lands and our customers are making recommendations to other businesses to patronise our products.”

The Green Business Competitions for MSMEs incubation programme is serving as a catalyst for Ghana’s green economy, building a pipeline of innovative enterprises that address climate change while creating jobs. GCIC and GIZ Ghana remain committed to empowering entrepreneurs with the tools and resources they need to create jobs and drive sustainable impact across the country.

–End–

About PFS

The Support to the Private and Financial Sector (PSF) Programme aims to improve the employment situation in Ghana. The programme is designed to supplement the Ghanaian government's efforts to improve the framework conditions for employment and income in the Ghanaian private sector, particularly among MSMEs, and empower MSMEs to contribute to economic development by creating jobs as well as to make Ghana the Pan-African vaccine-manufacturing hub by creating an enabling environment for local vaccine production in Ghana. PFS seeks to promote an inclusive and sustainable MSME ecosystem in Ghana and further provide tailored interventions to improve livelihoods.

About GIZ

As a provider of international cooperation services for sustainable development and international education work, GIZ is dedicated to building a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment, energy and the environment, and peace and security. We work with businesses, civil society actors, and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is our main commissioning party. Currently, GIZ promotes sustainable development in Ghana via about 50 programmes and projects. Our activities currently cover three priority areas: Energy and Climate, with a concentration on renewable energy and energy efficiency; Training and Sustainable Growth for Decent Jobs, and Peaceful and Inclusive Societies, which looks at good governance. For more information, please visit www.giz.de/ghana

About GCIC

The Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC), an institute of Ashesi University funded by Global Affairs Canada and GIZ, incubates SMEs in Ghana’s green economy. GCIC supports ventures in renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, waste management, water management, and solar power through business advisory services, technical support, and Proof of Concept grants. It also advocates for policies that enable sustainable entrepreneurship. Since 2017, GCIC has incubated 363 climate entrepreneurs. More at https://ghanacic.ashesi.edu.gh/