MTN Ghana honours entrepreneurs at SMEGA awards
MTN Ghana has celebrated outstanding entrepreneurs for their contribution to national growth at the MTN Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Ghana Awards (SMEGA) 2026 in Accra.
The awards recognised SMEs that have demonstrated innovation, resilience and excellence across various sectors of the economy.
The SME of the Year Award was taken by Queen Gaf Enterprise, which into agro-processing and cosmetics.
The event, which climaxed a year-long SME Accelerate Programme, honoured businesses in categories spanning agribusiness, manufacturing and other key sectors.
The programme included SME clinics, business pitching sessions, capacity building workshops and mini-MBE initiatives designed to strengthen Ghana’s SME ecosystem.
Speaking at the event, Senior Manager of MTN in charge of SME Sales, Partnership, Mohammed Abubakari-Sidick, explained that the awards night was the culmination of activities aimed at recognising SMEs that had undergone rigorous assessment by a jury.
“The recognition is a very great benefit, giving them a stage for us to project them to the whole world, that they have done well,” he stated, adding that awardees also received yellow bees and plaques as part of their recognition.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Noah Tumfo expressed government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs.
“Anything that motivates enterprises to do more, to create employment space, we are more than willing to do,” he stated, noting that digitalisation is becoming increasingly important for business growth and that the ministry is working to help SMEs expand beyond the Ghanaian market.
The Chief Executive Officer (CE0) of the Ghana Enterprises Agency, Margaret Ansei emphasised the critical role of SMEs in the national economy.
“SMEs in Ghana form about 90 per cent of Ghanaian businesses. What it means is that they are the backbone of this economy. They must be encouraged, they must be helped, they must be promoted,” she said.
She noted that while trophies need to be celebrated, they come with responsibilities, urging SMEs to strive for greater impact.
The CEO of Queen Gaf Company Fuseini Gafaratu who emerged as the 2026 SME of the Year, described the award as opening her up to do more.
“This business today that we call SME, I believe that in the future is going to be a big conglomerate,” she said, encouraging others to pursue their dreams.
The Managing Director of Ahodwo Farms, a cassava cultivation and processing company Shadrach Ansah described the recognition as a significant boost for rural farmers. “Being where we are located, being recognised is a great boost. It’s my hope that the workers will be motivated and realise that even though we are located outside of Accra, we are doing everything to bring recognition to the villages,” he said.
Founder of Dinmbone Farm Gates Limited in Tamale, Professor Sanatu Mustapha Alidu, a female-led seed company established in 2019, dedicated her award to perseverance also encouraging women get in the agribusiness, “It tells me that perseverance, diligence and determination will always pay off,” she said, expressing gratitude to SMEGA Ghana and MTN for the surprise recognition.
The event also served as a platform for awardees to appeal for continued support. Shadrach Ansah called on government agencies to implement policies that boost the sector and urged financial institutions, particularly the Bank of Ghana, to prioritise funding for industrialisation.
BY VINCENT DOH
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