Ghana News | Ghana Elections | Breaking News in Ghana

A telecommunication firm, MTN Ghana, has launched a campaign aimed at accelerating digitisation of the informal sector through the lens of micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

The MTN Business SME Campaign is a six-month campaign which will see some 10 MSMEs winning a digital business makeover, including a year of free connectivity, set up on Hubtel e-commerce smartphone, digital advertising and services and free business management application services.

It is on the theme: “MTN Business, Your Partner for Growth".

The launch

At the launch of the campaign in Accra on June 30, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Mr Selorm Adadevoh, stated that the initiative would use the power of technology to create awareness of businesses such as retail shops and production hubs in the country.

"We are embarking on this campaign because we believe everyone, including MSMEs, deserve the benefits of a modern connected life.

"With technology-based innovations such as e-payments, business management suites, e-commerce, marketplace, apps, to name but a few, the achievement of a modern connected life for MSMEs in Ghana will be greatly enhanced. We are confident that this campaign will yield the desired results," he said.

Accelerated digitalisation

The CEO said being fully aware of the enormity of the accelerated digitalisation, MTN was investing a total of $149 million in network expansion and modernisation this year to meet the demand for digital services from consumers and MSMEs.

"As we celebrate 25 years of our operations in Ghana, we want MSME growth to be one of MTN’s lasting legacies for the business community.

"Please take advantage of our bouquet of enterprise solutions to place your business in the global competitive realm.

We also have a list of exciting activities coming up in the next six months to support MSMEs, one of which is a digital business makeover for 10 lucky MSMEs.

"Please look out for the announcement of the various programmes and I hope and urge all MSMEs to take advantage of the exciting offers," he said.

Power of entrepreneurship

Mr Adadevoh observed that MSMEs represented the power of entrepreneurship and so coupled with technology, it would bring innovation into a segment that understood the core needs of Ghanaians and how to provide the solutions for those in need.

"It is not surprising that Ghana’s gross domestic  product (GDP) is largely driven by the output of MSMEs and the growth of this economic segment is critical to the country's development ambitions.

"It would interest you to know that MSMEs account for about 90 per cent of the world’s companies, about 70 per cent of total employment, about 50 per cent of GDP and are, therefore, the lifeblood of the world’s economy," he said.   

Mobile technology

The Chief Executive Officer of Hubtel, Mr Alex Bram, said both studies and practice had shown that the deployment of mobile technology of business resulted in productivity and convenience.

He sited over-dependence on cash, poor organisation of data for businesses, knowledge of customers regarding how to use the product, poor balancing of quality and growth, and lack of partnership as challenges facing businesses.

That, he said, entrepreneurs must pay attention to in order to strive and grow their businesses.