More than 1,400 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have benefited from a business development programme initiated by MTN Ghana to equip entrepreneurs with the skills and digital tools needed to grow and compete effectively in both the domestic and global markets.

The initiative, which has so far been implemented in five regions, is now in the Greater Accra Region, where more than 200 SME operators are participating in the sixth edition of the MTN SME Business Clinic.

The programme, which is designed to equip SMEs with practical skills and digital tools to grow their businesses, is being implemented by MTN Ghana in collaboration with the SME Growth and Development Association (SMEGA).

The two-day clinic is on the theme: “Developing an Effective Marketing Strategy for Domestic and Global Business Advantage.”

Speaking at the opening of the clinic, Mr. Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, Senior Manager for SME Sales, Partnerships, and Business Development at MTN Ghana, said the current edition was the sixth, up from four editions held the previous year, following increased demand from SME operators.

He said the clinic had already been taken to the Volta, Eastern, Western and Northern regions, with the Greater Accra edition being the latest.

Mr Sadiq said MTN would select some participants from the various clinics to participate in a fully funded Mini MBA series to further strengthen their business management capabilities.

He urged participants to take full advantage of the training programmes and digital solutions provided by MTN to improve efficiency and scale up their businesses.

Bridging SME gaps

Mr Sadiqu said MTN introduced the business clinics after identifying critical gaps affecting the growth and sustainability of SMEs in the country.

He said the clinic provided a platform for SME operators to acquire practical knowledge and access solutions that could help them overcome some of the challenges confronting their businesses.

He said digital transformation remained one of the major gaps, explaining that although many SMEs were doing well, the failure to adopt appropriate digital tools was limiting their efficiency and growth.

Among the solutions being promoted by MTN is Yellow B, which provides SMEs with stable internet connectivity and enables them to create websites for their businesses to gain access to the global market.

He also mentioned Microsoft 365, which provides productivity tools such as Microsoft Teams to enable businesses to collaborate and communicate from different locations.

Another solution, Business Eye, enables SME operators to remotely monitor their shops and business premises through CCTV cameras.

Mr Sadiqu said the system could operate on electricity or solar power, while data could also be stored on the cloud.

He said MTN had also developed solutions specifically to support women entrepreneurs.

He said more than 51 per cent of SMEs in Ghana were led by women, adding that MTN had introduced Adwumapa , which provides affordable voice and data services, as well as features such as Doctor on Call and insurance cover.

The company also has SME Plus, which is available to the wider SME community.

Financing challenge

Mr Sadiq identified access to finance as another major challenge confronting SMEs.

He said MTN was partnering with financial institutions under its SME Accelerate programme to help businesses gain access to loans.

He added that loan facilities were also available through the MTN Mobile Money platform, with customers who successfully repaid their loans becoming eligible for further financing.

The Chief Executive Officer of SMEGA, Mr Richard Norgah, said financing, packaging and client management had emerged as major challenges facing SMEs.

He said the partnership with MTN was aimed at helping bridge those gaps and providing entrepreneurs with practical solutions to improve their businesses.

Changing business mindset

The lead facilitator of the clinic, Mr Richard Maglo, a brand and business consultant, said businesses needed to understand changing market dynamics to remain relevant.

He said the training covered marketing orientation, the foundations of market driven businesses, building a robust marketing orientation, marketing strategy from an SME perspective and the key elements of an effective marketing strategy.

He said practical sessions were also included to enable participants to apply the lessons to their businesses.

Mr Maglo said many businesses failed within their first few years because they continued to operate with business models that were no longer suited to the prevailing economic environment.

“Businesses have their own dynamics. Every SME needs to understand the history of the SME economy and how the business economy of today works in order to understand these dynamics,” he said.

He said some businesses continued to operate with the mindset of older business eras, including product and production orientations and traditional sales approaches.

Mr Maglo said the marketing era required businesses to identify and respond to the needs and wants of customers, with products and services designed around what customers actually wanted.

He said the current business environment had moved into a relationship era, where businesses must use relevant data to understand customers, build long term relationships and promote customer loyalty.

He further stressed the importance of strategic alliances and partnerships, saying they were increasingly crucial to business success in the modern economy.