MTN rolls out SME Business Clinic to drive digital and financial inclusion                                   

By Juliet Aguiar DUGBARTEY, Takoradi

MTN Ghana has intensified efforts to strengthen the capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through its flagship SME Accelerate Programme by introducting a SME Business Clinic.

The SME Business Clinic underscores MTN’s long-term vision of empowering SMEs to leverage technology and finance to become globally competitive enterprises.

The initiative, themed ‘Setting up your business for growth’, brought together over 150 participants including members of the Dressmakers and Tailoring Associations, business groups, sole proprietors and other entrepreneurs for a two-day training session at Takoradi.

According to Mohammed Abubakari-Sidick, Senior Manager for SME Sales at MTN, the clinic is designed to build capacity for SMEs in critical areas such as financial inclusion, bookkeeping and adoptioning digital tools to enhance growth.

“Most SMEs are not taking advantage of digital tools to grow their businesses. For any SME in this country to be where it ought to be, there must be digital adoption and transformation. That is the essence of this clinic,” he explained.

So far, the SME Business Clinic has been held in Kumasi, Tamale and Accra, bringing together entrepreneurs to learn, share experiences and explore digital solutions that can accelerate their operations.

The programme forms part of MTN’s broader SME Accelerate agenda, which aims to drive innovation, competitiveness and sustainability within the SME sector.

He said MTN has partnered with organisations such as SMEGA and Sanlam Alliance to ensure the programme’s continuity and sustainability. After the training, SMEGA engages participating businesses through structured programmes that prepare them for opportunities in both local and international markets.

“We don’t end the programme here. We take participants’ contacts to monitor implementation and those who successfully apply what they’ve been taught are supported with additional opportunities,” Mr. Abubakari-Sidick added.

On access to finance, he clarified that MTN does not directly provide capital to SMEs. However, through capacity-building initiatives, SMEs are supported to develop bankable business plans, making them eligible to access funding from financial institutions. MTN’s Mobile Money platform also provides six different loan products, including quick loans, to support SME operations.

A participant, Emmanuel Anaman – a sachet water producer, shared how the programme has impacted his outlook on business growth.

“From this programme, I have learnt how to carry myself when dealing with customers and also how to manage challenges. I also got to know about opportunities like MTN Yellow Biz, which has packages that can support small businesses with website creation and wider outreach.

“This gives me hope that no matter how small or big a business is, it can grow and be sustained with the right support,” he said.

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