GEA CEO Margaret Ansei Declares MSMEs the ‘Heartbeat of Ghana’s Economy’ at National Event

Ghana marked its first-ever official celebration of International MSME Day with a strong call for transformation and digital inclusion in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, led by a powerful message from Madam Margaret Ansei, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA).

At the national event held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra on Friday, June 27, 2025, Madam Ansei positioned MSMEs as the heartbeat of Ghana’s economy and emphasized the urgency of supporting their growth through innovation, policy reform, and strategic partnerships.

“This is not just a ceremonial gathering—it is a purposeful convergence of key actors in Ghana’s enterprise landscape to reaffirm our shared commitment to MSME empowerment,” Madam Ansei declared in her welcome address.

Under the theme “Empowering MSMEs, Connecting Entrepreneurs for a Digital and Sustainable Future”, the celebration brought together government officials, entrepreneurs, development partners, and private sector players. It highlighted the critical role MSMEs play in national development, with Margaret Ansei reaffirming that 92% of registered businesses in Ghana fall under this category, contributing 70% to GDP and providing 85% of manufacturing employment.

“MSMEs reflect the Ghanaian spirit of entrepreneurship, resilience and forward-thinking,” she said, underscoring their contributions as central to economic resilience and sustainable development.

Madam Ansei unveiled the GEA’s strategic direction aimed at building a thriving and inclusive MSME ecosystem. These include expanding access to affordable finance, improving productivity, enhancing digital capacity, supporting formalization, and increasing market access—especially for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

She also announced the upcoming launch of the MSME Gateway Portal, developed in partnership with the UNDP. The portal is expected to serve as a one-stop digital platform offering MSMEs timely access to business resources, tools, and support services—a major milestone in Ghana’s journey toward digital inclusion.

“Our commitment to the sector is unwavering. Let today be a celebration of how far we have come and a reaffirmation of how much further we will go together,” she concluded.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, praised Ghana’s MSMEs as “bold, creative and resilient,” while also acknowledging the systemic barriers they face, including limited access to finance and digital infrastructure.

She outlined the government’s bold four-point delivery target for the MSME sector by 2027:

• Unlock GHS 6 billion in affordable lending to reach 100,000 MSMEs, with a 60% focus on women and youth.
• Operationalize three new industrial and agroecological parks.
• Reduce certification time and cost by 40%.
• Digitally onboard 250,000 MSMEs onto e-commerce and business platforms.

Hon. Ofosu-Adjare also announced the revision of Ghana’s National MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy to reflect emerging trends and sector challenges, backed by a costed implementation strategy. She emphasized her personal commitment to supporting Ghanaian women entrepreneurs from the informal to formal economy.

The 2025 MSME Day was organized by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry in collaboration with GEA, GIZ, UNDP, UNCDF, the European Union, Stanbic Bank, MTN Ghana, and other partners. The day featured exhibitions, panel sessions, business clinics, and networking opportunities aimed at equipping entrepreneurs for the future.

With strong leadership from Margaret Ansei and institutional backing from GEA, Ghana’s MSME sector appears to be on a promising path toward transformation, digital competitiveness, and inclusive economic growth.