Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) participating in MTN Ghana’s SMEs Month exhibition ongoing at MTN House in Accra have praised the initiative, emphasizing its positive impact on their businesses.
As part of the 2024 SME Month celebrations, MTN introduced a range of dynamic initiatives and activities aimed at SMEs, the business community, and the public.
These included pop-up shops for SMEs to showcase their products at MTN offices, market activations where MTN agents visited SMEs’ shops, factories, and offices to engage and enroll them in services, customer visits by MTN Business officials to gather feedback, training and development sessions, and focus group discussions for SME officials on leveraging technology for productivity enhancement, along with an Africa Business Innovation Forum Business Hackathon.
Throughout SME Month, MTN Business offered services such as WebWiz, Business Messenger, SME Plus, Microsoft 365, and Turbonet for Business to facilitate smarter, faster, and better business operations, demonstrating their commitment to supporting SME growth and success in Ghana.
Monica Lewis, CEO of Mama Sugar Bakery and participant in this year’s MTN SME Month exhibition, expressed her appreciation for the platform, highlighting how it significantly benefited her business.
According to Monica, the exhibition provided a valuable opportunity for Mama Sugar Bakery to showcase its range of products to a broader audience and connect directly with potential customers.
She emphasized the importance of such initiatives for SMEs, urging fellow business owners to seize similar opportunities to expand their reach and enhance visibility in the market.
Monica Lewis noted, “Participating in the MTN SME Month exhibition has been instrumental for us at Mama Sugar Bakery.
It allowed us to showcase our products and engage directly with customers in a meaningful way. I encourage other SMEs to take advantage of such platforms because they provide a golden opportunity to grow and strengthen our businesses.”
Her testimonial underscores the significant impact of initiatives like MTN SME Month in empowering small and medium enterprises to thrive in competitive markets by fostering visibility, customer engagement, and business growth.
Emelia Ameka, a Marketing Representative at Eassy Foods, shared her experience participating in this year’s SME Month, stating, “Being part of SMEs Month has been a game-changer for us.
We’ve seen a significant increase in interest from potential customers and collaborators. The workshops offered practical advice that we’ve already started to implement, and the networking events have opened doors we never thought possible.”
Another participant remarked on the value of the digital tools and resources provided during the month, saying, “The training sessions on digital marketing and e-commerce were particularly beneficial. We’ve started using some of the strategies discussed and are already seeing improvements in our online presence and sales.”
Overall, feedback from SMEs has been overwhelmingly positive, with many businesses expressing gratitude for the spotlight and support provided by MTN Ghana. This initiative has not only helped individual businesses grow but also contributed to the broader economic landscape by fostering a more vibrant and dynamic SME sector.
Mohammed Abubakari-Sidick, Senior Manager of Business Sales at MTN Ghana, highlighted the objectives and impact of the SME Month initiative launched in July 2023.
The initiative aimed to create a platform for SMEs to showcase their products and services, increase visibility in the market, facilitate networking opportunities, and provide essential technical assistance and capacity-building programs through mentorship, workshops, and training.
According to Mohammed Abubakari-Sidick, the SME Month initiative has played a crucial role in emphasizing the invaluable contributions of SMEs to local communities. It has also promoted digital transformation among SMEs, thereby enhancing their growth potential and operational efficiency.
Moreover, the initiative has encouraged collaboration and partnerships among SMEs, fostering a supportive ecosystem that facilitates mutual growth and development.
His statement underscores MTN Ghana’s commitment to supporting SMEs by providing them with strategic platforms and resources necessary for their sustained success and positive impact on the broader economy.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo