Ghana Launches Ambitious National Business Agenda to Empower Youth & Women Entrepreneurs
Accra, June 13, 2025 – Ghana today unveiled its bold National Business Agenda (NBA)—a comprehensive strategy designed to overhaul the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by specifically targeting systemic barriers facing young and women-led enterprises. The initiative, revealed at a high-level ceremony in Accra, is the outcome of months of nationwide consultations involving over 100 entrepreneurs and 60 sector stakeholders .
Led by the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE) with technical backing from the Investment Climate Reform (ICR) Facility, the NBA identifies five core pillars: policy and regulation, access to finance, market access, infrastructure and digitalization, and enterprise support systems. GCYE CEO Sherif Ghali emphasized that the agenda is far more than a “wish list”—it is an “action‑focused blueprint” grounded in solid research and real-world insights .
Margaret “Magoo” Ansei, CEO of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), officially launched the agenda, stressing that it is “more than a document—it’s a tool to accelerate inclusion, expand opportunities, and guide national enterprise support,” particularly in underserved regions . Appointed in January 2025, Ansei leads GEA’s efforts to extend support for youth and women entrepreneurs across Ghana’s districts .
Key stakeholders, including representatives from the EU Delegation, Ministry of Finance, British Council, National Youth Authority (NYA), National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), MASLOC, Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), and Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), endorsed the initiative. EU’s Malgorzata Pitura described the NBA as “a necessary bridge between policy and practice,” while British Council’s Nii Doodo praised its evidence‑based, locally grounded, and inclusive approach .
A notable feature of the agenda is the establishment of a Public–Private Dialogue (PPD) platform, set up to foster regular collaboration among government officials, private sector actors, and youth and women-led organizations. This mechanism is expected to reinforce accountability, coordinate reforms, and ensure the NBA remains a “living framework” .
With over 50% of Ghana’s population under 25, youth unemployment hovers around 19.7% , while women remain underrepresented in formal enterprise. The NBA directly addresses these demographic imperatives. As Sherif Ghali noted, “If Ghana is serious about economic transformation, youth and women must be at the centre of the national growth agenda.”
The NBA sets the stage for a Ghana where inclusive economic growth—driven by empowered youth and women entrepreneurs—becomes a tangible reality. Implementation, bolstered by effective policy tools and structured dialogue, could mark a transformative shift in Ghana’s business landscape.
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