Vice-President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs through improved access to financing, business development support and expanded market opportunities.
She made the remarks at the opening of the 5th Ghana Women Entrepreneurship Summit (GWES 2026), where she joined the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Ms Margaret Ansei, to champion initiatives aimed at strengthening women-led businesses and advancing Ghana’s economic development.
The two-day engagement, held under the theme, “Empowering Women to Drive Trade, Innovation and Industrial Growth,” brought together government officials, development partners, financial institutions, industry leaders and women entrepreneurs to deliberate on strategies for improving women’s participation in the country’s productive sectors.
Addressing participants, Professor Opoku-Agyemang stressed that women entrepreneurs remain central to Ghana’s economic transformation, particularly in the areas of production, value addition, agro-processing and industrial development.
“Ghana’s economic transformation depends on increasing production, processing more of what we grow, and building stronger links between local enterprises and larger industries. Women are central to this effort,” she stated.
The Vice-President called for deliberate efforts to transition women-owned businesses from small-scale operations into commercial production, manufacturing and industrial supply chains.
She maintained that women entrepreneurs must be given the necessary opportunities to establish factories, expand their operations and compete favourably in both domestic and international markets.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang also drew attention to the proposed Ghana Women’s Development Bank, describing it as an important government intervention intended to address the persistent financial challenges confronting women entrepreneurs and improve their access to affordable financial services.
She, however, emphasised that access to finance must be complemented by technical expertise, quality standards, appropriate packaging, safety compliance and reliable market opportunities.
According to her, equipping women-owned businesses with these essential capabilities would enhance their ability to meet the requirements of major buyers, supermarkets and international export markets.
She added that strengthening women’s participation in productive economic activities would contribute to job creation, industrial expansion and the broader transformation of Ghana’s economy.
Meanwhile, GEA Chief Executive Officer, Ms Margaret Ansei, has called for stronger institutional support, affordable financing and improved market access to unlock the growth potential of women-led enterprises.
In her welcome address, Ms Ansei highlighted the financial difficulties confronting women entrepreneurs, particularly their struggle to secure adequate working capital to execute large orders and meet business obligations.
She explained that many women-owned businesses face cash-flow challenges because buyers often operate extended payment terms, while suppliers demand immediate payment for goods and services.
This situation, she noted, affects the ability of businesses to expand production, fulfil large contracts and take advantage of emerging commercial opportunities.
Ms Ansei consequently urged financial institutions and business support organisations to introduce more responsive financing solutions that reflect the operational realities of women-led enterprises.
She further called for stronger institutional collaboration and improved market linkages to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of businesses owned by women.
The 5th Ghana Women Entrepreneurship Summit provided a platform for stakeholders to examine the structural challenges confronting women entrepreneurs and identify practical measures to strengthen their participation in entrepreneurship, trade, innovation and industrial development.
The summit also highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration among government, the private sector, financial institutions and development partners in creating an enabling environment for women-owned businesses to thrive.
The Ghana Enterprises Agency, through its mandate to promote the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), continues to champion enterprise development, business competitiveness, employment generation and inclusive economic growth.
The Agency has reiterated its commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to strengthen the capacities of women entrepreneurs, expand their business opportunities and position them to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s industrialisation and economic transformation agenda.