Ghana has hosted the inaugural edition of the International Business Cats Olympiad in West Africa.

The prestigious competition was organised under the auspices of the Ghana-Russia Center for Commerce and Relations, in collaboration with SEZ Alabuga from the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, on Friday, July 25.

A total of 24 candidates participated in the finals, with three emerging as winners. The first prize was a laptop, the second-place winner received a smartphone, and a tie for third place saw both candidates awarded smart tablets.

This groundbreaking initiative attracted an array of dignitaries, including Mr Dzifa Gunu, Chief Executive Officer of the Accra Digital Centre, Daniel Nana Addo-Kenneth, Member of Parliament for the Okere Constituency, and Reverend Sheila Tetteh of the Living Streams Baptist Church.

In his opening remarks, Mr John Aggrey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana-Russia Center, recounted the inspirational journey that brought the Olympiad from concept to execution.

He stressed the importance of youth engagement in such platforms, encouraging young participants to embrace this unique opportunity to enhance their competencies in business acumen, financial literacy, digital innovation, and entrepreneurial leadership.

Messages of goodwill flowed from guests, with Mr. Addo-Kenneth calling for the project to be scaled nationwide and made fully inclusive, particularly in terms of gender representation.

He advocated for decentralisation of the programme, noting its transformative potential for Ghana’s youth.

Representing the SEZ Alabuga delegation were Mr Konstantin Trifonov, Deputy Project Leader for Human Resources and International Cooperation, and Ms Chulpan Islamova, a Leading Specialist.

Their presentation spotlighted the Alabuga Start Programme, underscoring its tangible benefits and Ghana’s commendable performance in the lead-up to the Olympiad.

Madam Ziona Ayorkor, Head of Business Development and Innovations and Female Coordinator for the candidates, lauded the finalists for their perseverance and discipline throughout the training period.

She urged them to exhibit grace, etiquette, and excellence as ambassadors on the global business stage.

According to the Ghana-Russia Center for Commerce and Relations, Olympiad marks a major milestone in Ghana’s and West Africa’s entrepreneurial journey, laying the foundation for deeper international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Mr. John Aggrey emphasised that, through the vision of the Ghana-Russia Centre and its partners, the region is taking bold steps to empower the next generation of business leaders and advance financial independence across the continent.