Mr. Adadevoh made these remarks at MTN Ghana's launch of the 2023 SME month at its head office in Accra under the theme ”Optimizing Business Solutions for SME Growth. It aims to provide SMEs with affordable yet high-impact digital solutions to enable them to do business better.

MTN in a statement said that World Bank data disclosed that SMEs contribute about 40 percent of  Africa's GDP and also employed about two-thirds of its workforce. It stated that  MTN Business aimed to showcase its partnerships with SMEs in Africa through reliable and trusted Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services in a dynamic and changing world.

Acting Chief Enterprise Officer, Daniel Asare emphasized the significant role SMEs had played in Ghana's economy. He said that reports suggested that SMEs formed about 90 percent of businesses, 80 percent of employment in Ghana as well as 60 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

For about two decades, Mr. Asare said that MTN had invested in the growth of SMEs in diverse ways.  We can confidently say that many of the suppliers within our supply chain started as SMEs and have significantly grown to the level they find themselves," he disclosed.

Mr Asare also said that having interacted with some businesses, feedback indicated many SMEs were looking for ways to reduce cost and improve turnover which would only happen if they adopted digitalization and technology solutions.
He noted that SMEs faced a financing gap in adopting new technology which was why MTN business had made it easier to help them improve their operational efficiencies.

According to him, the SME month would be characterized by the provision of SME Solutions such as Business Manager, Microsoft 365, and Business Website, as well as solutions that would help them manage their finances, inventory, etc. He said  that  these Solutions offer various Voice, Data, and SMS packages that will enable them to reach more customers with their products and services. Also, SMEs will be exposed to solutions that allow them to efficiently manage their finances and other administration functions.

The SME Month activities are scheduled to take place in Accra and Kumasi. A special initiative, the SME Pop Shop, has also been added to this year's project. One SME would be invited to the MTN House and other MTN branches every day in July to display their business to MTN employees.

MTN Group Head of MTN Enterprise Business, Tumi Chamayou said that MTN was working to address some of the challenges SMEs faced which included access to finance, technology, and infrastructure. She said that the Covid pandemic showed that the world had digitized and there was a need for the African continent to also digitize.
She said that MTN had a global partnership with Microsoft that would  centre around unlocking values for SMEs.
She also noted that MTN was working with some finance partners such as Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG), Absa Bank, and insurance companies such as Sanlam/ Allianz Insurance to consider the best ways to support SMEs. MTN was also working to train businesses to shift to digital finance through mobile money services, she noted.

Abubakar Mohammed, a Senior Manager at MTN Ghana in a statement read on his behalf said that MTN believed economic growth was vital to Africa's long-term sustainability which resulted in better standards of living. He said that July had been dedicated to the SME space to unlock the potential of businesses through exciting and innovative initiatives.  The sector has enormous potential and they can work to unleash that potential he added.

Mr Emmanuel Kwartei from DaddyAsh Company, a beneficiary of MTN Business Solutions said that they no longer required stock reports from individuals and were therefore able to monitor and manage their products and services. He said that they also enjoyed dedicated internet services making them offer reliable services to their customers.

MTN's 2023 SME Month is in collaboration with several local banks and businesses such as Absa Bank, Access Bank, CBG, Stanbic Bank, Ginger, Hollard Insurance, and more.