The National Board for Small Scale Industries have open up an application portal for Micro, Small and Medium enterprises to seek support for their innovation and digitalization drive.

The scheme initiated by the National Board for Small Scale Industries in partnership with the German Cooperation's 'Invest for Jobs' (an initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), is expected to equip more than five hundred MSMEs in the country to have their businesses online and make use of digital channels.

This follows the devastating effect of the covid 19 on physical businesses.

Executive Director of the NBSSI, Kosi Yankey Ayeh told Joybusiness that this scheme will be a relief for small businesses that were affected by the outbreak of the virus.

SME’s can access the application on the website of the NBSSI or the Business Advisory Centres located in the various districts of the country.

The Project seeks to keep existing SMEs alive, strengthen their resilience in the current COVID-19 crisis and support them in their recovery phase, thereby sustaining jobs in the medium to long term. 

It also aims at increasing the process efficiency and competitiveness of SMEs by providing access to knowledge, technologies, and expertise in the field of digitalization and innovation management.

It will also help to better understand and learn about SMEs’ needs and challenges (even beyond digitalization) and support with relevant solutions.

In general, the project will create a digitalized business environment conducive for rapid growth of SMEs in Ghana.

Support/ Interventions for SMEs

• Training in the use of digital Software solutions and e-Commerce Applications for marketing
• Increase their knowledge in digitalization
• Use of digital system/apps to adopt digital records keeping and accounting
• Use e-Platforms for business transactions
• SME digital literacy and digital skills training
• Development of standardised SME Digital Transformation Playbook to guide the digital transformation of SMEs 

Target for SMEs and eligibility criteria

• Growth-oriented SMEs
• Formally registered 
• SMEs who meet minimum standards in terms of hardware/IT infrastructure
• Minimum 6 employees
• Business operations negatively impacted by COVID-19
• SMEs committed to participating in the project activities
• Willingness to allow Consultants to assess the digital gaps within the enterprise and to provide the needed support