Women entrepreneurs have been encouraged to move beyond starting businesses and focus on building sustainable enterprises capable of increasing revenue, creating jobs and contributing to Ghana’s economic growth.

The call was made at the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Regional Fora of the WERise Network held at the CalBank PLC Auditorium in Accra on Monday, September 28.

Held under the theme, “Rise & Scale: Celebrating Growth, Building Revenue, Creating Jobs,” the event brought together women entrepreneurs, business leaders, industry partners and other stakeholders for business learning, networking and engagement.

Chief Executive Officer of WERise Network, Eunice Dewi Adjei, highlighted the progress made by women entrepreneurs and stressed the need for greater opportunities to help them move from business growth to expansion.

The WERise Network currently connects more than 25,000 women entrepreneurs across Ghana’s 16 regions.

The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), represented by the Director of its Women Entrepreneurship Directorate, also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting women-owned businesses.

The agency said its support covers entrepreneurship training, business advisory services, access to finance, market linkages and capacity building.

Focus on stronger business systems

Women entrepreneurs at the event were encouraged to strengthen the systems that underpin their businesses as they prepare to enter larger markets.

These include financial management, proper record keeping, branding, customer service, digitalisation and the development of effective business processes.

Organisers said strengthening these areas would help women-owned businesses become more structured and better positioned to sustain growth.

Private sector engagement

A major component of the Regional Fora was direct engagement between the private sector and participating entrepreneurs.

CalBank, MTN and Telecel presented their products and services, giving participants the opportunity to learn about solutions that could support their businesses and engage directly with representatives of the companies.

The programme also featured a presentation on “Building Sustainable Brands for SME Growth” by brand consultant and strategic marketing professional Cynthia Torto.

The presentation was followed by interactive discussions and networking sessions.

The AGM also allowed members of the WERise Network to reflect on the organisation’s direction while connecting with institutions and businesses that could support their entrepreneurial journeys.

More activities planned

The AGM and Regional Fora formally opened WERise Network’s 2026 annual programme, with several activities scheduled for the coming months.

These include an exhibition at Yenze Ghana Mall and practical masterclasses covering financial literacy, artificial intelligence and digital tools, risk management and insurance, storytelling and brand building.

WERise Network was established to connect women entrepreneurs, strengthen peer relationships and networking, and promote knowledge sharing and skills development.

The network was launched by the Ghana Enterprises Agency in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

The 2026 AGM and Regional Fora reaffirmed the network’s focus on helping women-owned businesses transition from growth to scale while improving their access to knowledge, networks, markets and business opportunities.