In a significant step toward enhancing economic resilience and inclusion in the Upper East Region, the Feed the Future Ghana Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity has successfully formalized 80 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This milestone, part of a broader initiative to strengthen businesses in northern Ghana, saw 65 MSMEs newly registered with the Office of the Registrar of Companies and 15 renew their business registrations.
The formalization process also facilitated the registration of MTN merchant SIM cards for all 80 MSMEs, enabling seamless business transactions. Additionally, 54 MSMEs in the region have been profiled for the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) Progressive License registration.
As part of the support package, beneficiaries received free business certificates, merchant SIM cards, and training in essential business practices, including record-keeping and capacity-building programs. These efforts aim to equip MSMEs with the tools, knowledge, and skills required for sustainable business operations.
The initiative supports 300 MSMEs across northern Ghana, with 75 beneficiaries from the Upper East Region. Musa Salifu Taylor, Capacity Building Team Leader for the Feed the Future Ghana MSR Activity, emphasized the program’s transformative impact on local businesses.
“The journey of an MSME is often challenging—from operating informally with limited resources to becoming a structured enterprise that creates jobs and drives economic growth. Today’s achievements celebrate the transformation of these businesses through formalization and skill development,” Mr. Salifu stated.
He noted that formalization enables MSMEs to access credit, government support, and new market opportunities, while skill development programs provide entrepreneurs with essential business management and digital literacy skills.
The five-year USAID-funded Ghana MSR Activity, with a $35.9 million budget, builds on over a decade of work under the Feed the Future initiative. It seeks to strengthen commercial relationships between market actors, expand agribusiness services, and foster economic opportunities, particularly for women and youth.
Gifty Akapule, Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Specialist with the Feed the Future Ghana MSR Activity, highlighted findings from a needs assessment of 241 MSMEs, revealing that 71% operated informally without business certificates.
“During the needs assessment, we noticed that about 71 percent of these MSMEs operate informally. This means they don’t have business certificates, which prevents them from accessing markets. That’s why we decided to support them,” she explained.
Ephrem Duorinaa, Operations Manager at the Business Resource Center (BRC), encouraged beneficiaries to capitalize on the support to contribute to the formal economy and enhance their livelihoods. Grateful beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the initiative, pledging to use the resources and knowledge gained to improve their businesses and communities.
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