By Elham Salifu
The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) has launched a coordinated push to elevate small business competitiveness across Ghana, combining digital technology deployment with decentralized regulatory support.
As part of an aggressive operational upgrade led by GEA Chief Executive Officer Margaret Ansei, the agency secured a major IT infrastructure grant of 90 commercial-grade laptops from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The digital equipment will be deployed across regional Business Advisory Centres to accelerate enterprise onboarding, data tracking, and technical consultation for micro-enterprises.
Commenting on the digitalization agenda, GEA Chief Executive Officer Margaret Ansei noted that establishing solid technical infrastructure in district hubs is essential for closing the rural-urban business divide.
“Equipping our field offices with modern digital tools changes how we deliver support to local entrepreneurs,” Mrs. Ansei stated. “This partnership with the UNDP ensures that small-scale businesses, regardless of location, can access real-time advisory services, formalize their operations, and participate effectively in the digital economy.”
Emphasizing the strategic value of the donation, the UNDP Resident Representative highlighted the role of technology in fostering sustainable economic inclusion for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
“Building a resilient enterprise sector requires removing technical barriers for grassroots producers,” the UNDP representative noted. “By enhancing GEA’s field capacity, we are helping build an ecosystem where young entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises can scale up smoothly.”
In tandem with the technology expansion, the GEA concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to bring product registration, safety testing, and compliance certification closer to local producers.
The institutional framework enables small-scale processors to navigate regulatory checks through localized GEA outlets, drastically cutting administrative delay and lowering entry costs into formal retail markets.
Underlining the regulatory transition, FDA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Delese Mimi Darko explained that streamlining compliance is critical to helping local products meet national and international market standards.
“Regulatory oversight should serve as a bridge to market success rather than a bottleneck,” Dr. Darko emphasized. “By integrating FDA processes with GEA’s district network, we are helping local manufacturers meet safety benchmarks early, protecting consumers while opening doors to commercial distribution.”
Together, the dual initiatives establish a unified support structure aimed at transforming informal local enterprises into digitally capable, fully compliant commercial brands.
