Vodafone African SME Summit set to begin

Driven by its passion to empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana, events and marketing communications firm, Creative Trends, is holding the third Vodafone African SME Summit in Accra.

With Vodafone as the headline sponsor, the two-day event scheduled for 13th and 14th October on the theme: “Entrepreneurship- Being a Ready Business," will provide SMEs opportunity to learn from major industry players and also understand business growth essentials.

The summit will also provide networking and mentoring opportunities for SME owners, and avenues for them to showcase their products.

Mr Yaw Asamoah, the Convenor of the Summit, said SMEs are important players for accelerated economic development and there is the need for entrepreneurs to learn new skills for sustainable businesses.

He said the seminar has been designed to empower and offer SMEs with essential business knowledge and solutions to help increase their productivity, drive efficiency and increase growth.

The African SME organization defines small medium enterprises as organizations with a revenue base of up to $30m and employing up to 300 people while small are those with not less than 100 employees and annual turnover of US$5 million and micro enterprises as those employing not less than 10 and with not less than US$1 million annual turnover.

Mr Asamoah said the future resides in Africa; the youngest population in the world, the continent with tremendous natural resources and a land of opportunities.

He said the Summit will bring together some of the brightest, oldest and youngest business minds on and outside the continent for an exciting discourse, exhibition and networking event.

To be able to compete effectively with peers globally and to sustain their businesses over time, Mr Asamoah urged Ghanaian SMEs to embrace good corporate governance and adopt innovation as well as effective management.

“Ghanaian SMEs must embrace good corporate governance, be able to innovate and look beyond the narrow horizon to succeed,” he added.

Mr Caleb Ayiku, a business consultant and a conference speaker, said the three-in-one event of exhibition, conference and networking would address pertinent issues relating to SME growth and development and urged entrepreneurs to register to participate and benefit from the insights of the expert panels of speakers.

Among the speakers are Professor Pikay Richardson from the Manchester Business School, Professor Matthew Tsamenyi from China Europe International Business School (CEIBS); Mr Dhananjay Tripathi, and Mr Victor Yaw Asante of First National Bank.

The summit is also supported by First National Bank, Phoenix Insurance, the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), the National Investment Bank (NIB), with Graphic Business as the main media partner.