GEA Strengthens Commitment to Youth Entrepreneurship at Mastercard Foundation Convening in Kenya

The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting youth entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for dignified and fulfilling work following its participation in the Mastercard Foundation’s Community of Practice Convening in Mombasa, Kenya.

The convening brought together country teams, youth advisers and institutional stakeholders from across Africa to explore strategies for expanding employment opportunities and supporting young people to build sustainable livelihoods.

The GEA team was led by a representative of the Agency, who participated in discussions on how to strengthen enterprise development and create an enabling environment for young people to turn their business ideas into viable enterprises.

Held under the Mastercard Foundation’s collective project on Youth Futures in Dignified and Fulfilling Work in Africa, the discussions focused on youth-led enterprises, business formalisation, access to finance and skills development.

These priorities align with the GEA’s mandate to promote and develop micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana.

Participants explored approaches to helping young entrepreneurs overcome business development challenges, access the resources they need to grow and establish enterprises capable of creating jobs and contributing to economic development.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of equipping young people with relevant skills and improving access to finance and business support services.

The convening reinforced the importance of collaboration among government institutions, development partners and other stakeholders in advancing youth employment and entrepreneurship across Africa.

Youth-centred approaches, participants noted, are essential to building an environment where young people can transform their ideas into thriving businesses, generate employment and contribute meaningfully to economic growth.

For Ghana, stronger partnerships and the exchange of experiences with regional stakeholders could help improve enterprise support programmes and expand opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

The GEA representative expressed appreciation to Prof. Peter Quartey and his team for their work in organising the engagement.

The Ghana Enterprises Agency said it remains committed to empowering young entrepreneurs through enterprise development, capacity building, business advisory services and improved access to business opportunities.

These interventions are aimed at helping young people establish, grow and sustain viable businesses while supporting job creation and inclusive economic growth.

The Agency’s participation in the convening also provided an opportunity to engage with stakeholders working to advance dignified and fulfilling work for young people across the continent.

As Ghana continues to pursue employment creation and private-sector development, supporting youth-led enterprises and strengthening MSMEs remain important pathways towards sustainable economic growth.