The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) and MasterCard Foundation’s Covid-19 Recovery and Resilience Program for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has now been opened for prospective applicants.

The ₵90 million initiative dubbed the ‘Nkosuo’ programme is aimed at supporting MSMEs, as well as start-ups in sectors such as agriculture and agro-businesses, water and sanitation, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, trade and commerce, the creative arts, among others.

During its launch on Wednesday, the Executive Director of NBSSI, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh said the programme has been designed to accelerate the growth of businesses that were badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

She noted that the Nkosuo loan is to mark a beginning of a new era for MSMEs in Ghana at a time when the country is finding new ways to forge ahead post coronavirus.

She explained that the initiative has become necessary since the MSMEs, particularly, the informal sector plays a critical role in the economic growth of the country.

Describing the programme as a timely intervention, Mrs Yankeh-Ayeh said, “This will bring hope and most importantly, provide MSMEs an opportunity to accelerate the growth of their businesses.”

She then urged all MSMEs to take a keen interest in the programme and apply the resources they get judiciously.

With that, she asked interested people to visit the online application portal www.nbssi.gov.gh/recoveryprogram starting Thursday, September 17, 2020.

NBSSI has the largest footprint of any agency or organization in Ghana in its work with entrepreneurs and women-led MSME development.

It has a presence in all the 16 regions and operates in 185 districts in Ghana.