MTN’s long game on small business, A JBA analysis

Ghanaian telecom giant MTN Ghana has introduced the third edition of its SME Accelerate programme, targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing training, digital tool subsidies, and market access initiatives. The initiative is designed to help these businesses transition into the formal economy, addressing the common challenge of lacking paperwork, capital, and connectivity.

The program, launched at MTN's Accra headquarters, highlights the company's commitment to closing the digital divide for millions of small operators and sees MTN directly involved in building products, financing partnerships, and setting multiyear targets for this segment of the economy. The centerpiece of the program is Yellow Biz, a bundled package offering internet connectivity, business email, and a website at a lower cost than purchasing these services separately.

MTN also operates Ajumapa, a product line specifically catering to women-owned businesses, addressing the disparity in access to formal financial and digital services between male- and female-owned firms. Angela Mensah-Poku, MTN's Chief Enterprise Business Officer, explained that connectivity alone cannot solve the main obstacle for small businesses, which is capital.

Instead, MTN's role is to help businesses build the necessary certification, transaction records, and formal structure to meet lenders' requirements, effectively becoming a financial-inclusion enabler rather than just a connectivity provider. The program is structured to reach every region of Ghana over a full year, combining training sessions, formal certification, and fairs where SMEs can showcase their products directly to consumers.

MTN has partnered with Mastercard and Germany's GIZ to provide additional support, indicating its commitment to a broader public-private effort rather than acting as the sole financier. This multiyear commitment underscores MTN's intention to prioritize this initiative as an ongoing institutional priority, suggesting a stable budget and dedicated team rather than a one-time announcement.