MTN Ghana, in collaboration with The Academic Woman Foundation (TAW), hosted the highly anticipated She Builds Conference at the Accra International Conference Centre on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
The event brought together influential women leaders, professionals, and advocates from across various sectors to explore pathways to empowerment, leadership development, and digital inclusion for women in Ghana.
Angela Mensah-Poku, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN Ghana, joined a panel of thought leaders to spotlight the crucial role of women in the nation’s economic fabric—and the ongoing barriers that hinder their business growth.
“At some point, we need to recognise that a significant number of businesses in Ghana are female-led. In fact, about 80% of informal businesses are run by women. Yet, many of these entrepreneurs remain locked out of growth opportunities due to limited access to funding, digital tools, formal networks, and mentorship,” she noted.
Ms. Mensah-Poku also highlighted digital identity as a major challenge, explaining that many women entrepreneurs still register their mobile numbers under their husbands’ names—limiting access to mobile money services, banking platforms, and other critical digital resources.
“Digital identity begins with something as simple as having a personal phone number, accurate KYC details, and a Ghana Card. If women are excluded at this basic level, they’re cut off from broader economic opportunities,” she emphasized.
She further called for targeted mentorship, digital training, and tools to support women entrepreneurs in scaling their ventures, from “good to great to greatest.”
As part of its presentation, MTN Ghana unveiled a suite of practical SME solutions designed to support women-led enterprises. Central among them was the MTN Adwumapa Bundle, a comprehensive package offering affordable voice, data, SMS, and lifestyle services tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized businesses.
Accessible via *5060#, the bundle is aimed at helping entrepreneurs stay connected, strengthen their brand presence, and grow sustainably.
In addition, MTN showcased other SME-centric offerings such as Y’ello Biz and Webwiz, reinforcing its commitment to empowering Ghanaian women in business through technology and connectivity.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, celebrated Ghana’s strides in advancing women’s participation across all sectors, while acknowledging that much work remains.
“Today, women are making their mark in Parliament, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms, agriculture, technology, the creative arts, and entrepreneurship. Above all, we are proud to celebrate Ghana’s first female Vice President, Professor Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, whose achievement serves as a beacon of hope for young girls across the country.”
Themed “Women in Entrepreneurship, Law, Built Environment and Engineering: Where Are We Now, Where Are We Going, and What Do We Need to Do?”, the She Builds Conference served as a powerful platform to celebrate the achievements of Ghanaian women while driving critical conversations around representation, inclusion, and sustainable leadership across key sectors.
Enock Akonnor is an experienced Ghanaian journalist, based in Kumasi and currently serves as the CEO and Managing Editor of www.leakyghana.com.
With a wealth of expertise built over many years in the media industry, he has earned a solid reputation as one of Ghana’s most sought-after journalists.
Contact:
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✉️ enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
