Under the banner of its youth-focused economic empowerment initiatives, the MTN Ghana Foundation is leading a strategic shift in how the nation confronts its mounting youth unemployment challenge.
Championing entrepreneurship, digital skills, and practical training, the Foundation is positioning micro and small enterprises as the cornerstone for a more resilient, locally-driven economy.
The Foundation is tackling youth unemployment through wide-ranging empowerment initiatives aimed at equipping young people with practical skills, digital literacy, and entrepreneurial drive.
At the heart of these interventions are programmes such as the Enterprise Support Programme, vocational training initiatives, and digital skills development for jobs, all designed to provide funding, capacity-building, and mentorship to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and budding entrepreneurs.
These efforts, according to the Foundation, are critical in addressing one of Ghana’s most pressing challenges—the alarming rate of youth unemployment.
Practical skills and self-reliance
Speaking at the latest edition of “Bright Conversations” in Accra, Professor Franklyn Manu, Board Chairman of the MTN Ghana Foundation, underscored the need for deliberate investment in entrepreneurship and enterprise development as part of the national strategy for growth.
He explained that the Foundation has consistently championed initiatives to ensure that the country’s young population is not left behind in the rapidly changing job market.
Through youth summits, SME training, vocational skills development, and digital inclusion programmes, the Foundation empowers young people, especially women, to create jobs rather than depend on limited salaried employment opportunities.
Youth unemployment a “time bomb”
Prof Manu described youth unemployment as a “time bomb” that could explode into severe social and economic instability if not urgently addressed.
He expressed concern about the prevailing mindset among many young Ghanaians who finish school expecting someone else to employ them.
“Our economy is not growing fast enough to absorb the thousands of graduates and school leavers who complete JHS, SHS, and universities every year.
“The dependency on salaried jobs has become unsustainable. We must reorient our youth to embrace entrepreneurship, innovation, and self-reliance,” he cautioned.
He further noted that investing in education without aligning it with economic empowerment was dangerous and could worsen the unemployment crisis.
Challenges in mining communities
Drawing from the Foundation’s experience in rural and mining communities, Prof Manu lamented the difficulty in convincing young people to pursue sustainable livelihoods outside of illegal mining.
“In some mining communities, it is even difficult to get labourers or artisans because almost everyone is engaged in galamsey. We once trained youth in phone and electronics repair, but they abandoned it for galamsey because it was more profitable to search for gold,” he revealed.
He described this trend as worrying, warning that it undermines long-term human capital development and the sustainability of local economies.
The struggle of micro enterprises
The MTN Foundation Board Chairman also shed light on the plight of micro enterprises, which, despite employing more Ghanaians than multinational corporations, continue to struggle due to lack of systemic support.
“Micro enterprises are basically struggling to survive. Yet in terms of employment, their contribution far outweighs that of big companies.
“Unfortunately, incentives and support systems are often directed at foreign companies through investment roadshows, while indigenous enterprises are overlooked,” he lamented.
Prof Manu stressed that if Ghana truly wants to address unemployment, it must provide strong incentives, support structures, and formalization frameworks for local businesses.
Call for policy shift and youth mindset change
He criticized successive governments for focusing too much on attracting foreign investors with “mouth-watering incentives” while ignoring local investors and small-scale entrepreneurs who drive grassroots economic activity.
To the youth, Prof Manu delivered a piece of timeless advice: hard work, honesty, and pride in one’s craft remain the surest pathways to success.
“Take pride in your work. That is what will make you successful,” he emphasized, urging young people to embrace entrepreneurship with seriousness and integrity.
Building a resilient economy
The MTN Ghana Foundation’s economic empowerment initiatives continue to position entrepreneurship as a central solution to unemployment.
With programmes designed to equip young people with 21st-century skills, the Foundation hopes to inspire a new generation of innovators and job creators who will contribute to a more resilient and inclusive Ghanaian economy.
