Absa InspireME challenges women to think beyond business size
WOMEN entrepreneurs have been urged to combine access to finance with sound business management and the ambition to build sustainable, growth-focused enterprises.
The call was made at the Absa Bank Ghana Ltd’s InspireME 2026 conference, which brought together women entrepreneurs, business leaders and professionals to explore business growth, innovation, access to opportunities and sustainable enterprise development.
Held on the theme: ‘She Rises. She Expands. She Conquers,’ the conference focused on the ideas, ambitions and opportunities shaping the next generation of women-led businesses.
Speaking at the conference, the Managing Director of Absa Bank Ghana Ltd, Dr Edward Nartey Botchway, said access to finance must be matched with the capacity to manage and grow a business.
“Financing alone is not enough. It takes capacity to be able to scale a business. If you want that business to grow, know the numbers, separate personal income from business income, keep proper accounts, build the right team and understand your cash flows,” he urged participants.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, also encouraged women entrepreneurs not to allow the size of their existing businesses to limit their ambitions.
“Do not allow the size of your current business to determine the size of your ambition. Identify one decision that will strengthen your business, widen your market or prepare your enterprise for the future and act on it. Start where you are but do not limit yourself to where you are,” she said.
The conference featured discussions on access to finance, business capacity, innovation, leadership, market opportunities and practical strategies for building sustainable enterprises.
Participants also benefited from sessions on technology, business growth, market expansion and long-term business sustainability.
The discussions highlighted financial literacy, digital skills, business management, market intelligence, branding, technology adoption and access to larger markets as key drivers of business growth.
The conference brought together women entrepreneurs, SME owners, corporate executives and professionals, emerging women leaders, women-led start-ups, investors, financial partners, government and development agencies, and industry stakeholders from Ghana and across Africa.
InspireME is the flagship event of Absa Bank Ghana Ltd’s Women Banking Proposition and provides a platform for women to network, exchange knowledge and explore opportunities for personal, professional and business growth.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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