Awardees and some facilitators
Five Ghanaian small businesses have each received GH¢30,000 after emerging winners in MTN Ghana’s SME Business Pitch Competition held to mark this year’s World Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day in Accra.
The winners – Tahiru Field Recycling, Edible Treats, Dyluri Beauty, Manehlla Foods and Tropical Snacks – were selected from 10 finalists after beating hundreds of entries submitted from across the country.
In addition to the cash prize, each winning business will participate in MTN Ghana’s 13-week Mini MBA programme in partnership with NOVA Business School and gain access to digital business solutions and mentorship through the company’s SME Accelerate Programme.
The five other finalists, namely 10-10 Foodie, Awhenepa Cookery, House of Lush, Bubune Africa Limited and Lebenam Skin, received GH¢2,000 each, along with MTN Business support tools, including Y’ello Biz Routers and MiFi devices.
Speaking at the event, the Senior Manager for SME Sales at MTN Ghana, Mohammed Abubakari Sidick, said the competition forms part of the company’s broader commitment to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises with access to finance, digital technology and business development opportunities.
He noted that SMEs remain the backbone of the nation’s economy because they create employment, stimulate innovation and contribute significantly to economic growth.
According to him, the business pitch competition is one of the flagship initiatives under MTN’s year-round SME Accelerate Programme, which also provides entrepreneurs with access to Mobile Money financing and other business support services.
He disclosed that this year’s competition was the third edition organised by MTN Ghana, following similar events held during the MTN Women’s Summit in Accra and AshantiFest in Kumasi.
The overall winner, Tahiru Field Recycling, said the GH¢30,000 prize would be used to purchase a vacuum pump and expand the supply of used engine oil for recycling.
Chief Executive Officer of the company, Tahiru Umar, said the business currently employs 30 people and plans to recruit two additional workers immediately and another six before the end of the year as production expands.
He appealed to both the public and private sectors to increase support for young entrepreneurs, saying greater investment in small businesses would help create more jobs and accelerate Ghana’s economic development.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke