The African Partner Pool, an online directory and platform, which connects buyers and suppliers, has within a year registered 1,000 SMEs on its portal www.africanpartnerpool.com with tender value reaching $37 million.

Invest in Africa (IIA), an organisation focused on tackling shared private sector challenges, created the APP portal to simplify the local sourcing process by connecting independently validated Ghanaian SMEs with international and domestic companies.

Sam Brandful, the Ghana Manager of Invest in Africa (IIA), said aside the 1,000 supplier companies across 20 sectors, the tender value, 13 buyer corporations, and launch of the Business Linkage Programme were among the success stories over the one-year period.

He explained: “These achievements have only been made possible through the support of suppliers and buyers. In many respects, however, the results of our first year tell us that there is a lot more we can achieve.”

“The African Partner Pool is the core of IIA’s work in Ghana. This directory will assist local suppliers promote their businesses and increase their ability to tender more competitively.”

It would also help them access training and support from Invest in Africa’s Partners and the African Development Bank to build capacity and grow their businesses,” said Invest in Africa’s Mr Brandful.

The APP allows local companies to promote their goods and services to a wider market. It also helps larger international and Ghanaian companies to find credible Ghanaian suppliers and meet their local content needs quicker and more cost-effectively through its research functionality.

Upon registration, local Small and Medium Scale Enterprises are given a profile to promote their businesses to international companies, which can then use a search tool to access suppliers with the requisite qualification and experience.

Thirteen major buyers such as Tullow Oil, Lonrho, Ernst & Young (EY), Clyde & Co, AB & David, Ecobank, the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC), the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd (GGBL), UT Bank, General Electric (GE), Newmont and the Millennium Development Authority (MIDA) are currently registered on the portal, which has also featured tenders worth over US $37 million.

James Asare-Adjei, the President Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), congratulated the APP on its first year anniversary, and pledged the Association’s support to future endeavours.

“This is a good thing, and having seen how far you have come in only a year, it is very impressive and you need to be lauded, “ he said. “I believe we can do a lot more and with AGI’s representations in the various regions we will fully give our support to this initiative. We will integrate some of IIA’s promotional programmes in our activities and ensure that we bring this initiative to the notice of some regional SMEs.”