The Ghana Hubs Network has hosted its 2025 Annual Gathering of Hubs in Accra with a focus on building stronger collaboration and encouraging innovation across the country’s entrepreneurship space.
The two-day event, which took place in the capital city, was held under the theme “Resilient Hubs, Thriving Futures: Strengthening Ghana’s Innovation Ecosystem.” It brought together key players including hub leaders, startup founders, development partners, and government policymakers. The meeting focused on finding new ways to drive digital growth, support startups, and create more jobs—especially for the youth, women, and persons living with disabilities.
Chairperson of the Ghana Hubs Network, Mr. Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, gave an overview of the impressive work the network has done over the years. According to him, Ghana now has more than 100 active innovation hubs, out of which 80 are under the Ghana Hubs Network. He said these hubs have trained over 12,000 young people and women, while also supporting more than 6,000 small businesses and startups across various sectors.
In 2024 alone, Mr. Adu-Gyamfi revealed that the network was able to raise over $4 million in funding from both local and international partners. These partners include the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), the German development agency GIZ, Mastercard Foundation, and Ashesi University. He said the financial support was used to build capacity, provide mentorship, and assist in scaling up small businesses, especially in rural areas.
While acknowledging the progress made, Mr. Adu-Gyamfi stressed that innovation hubs in Ghana still face a number of challenges. He called on the government to speed up the passage of the Startup and Innovation Bill, which is seen as a key piece of legislation to help improve the startup space. He also urged private sector companies, universities, and other stakeholders to expand their support for young innovators, particularly outside Accra and into underserved regions.
A major highlight of the event was the launch of a Gender-Responsive Toolkit. The toolkit was developed in partnership with GIZ and GFA Consulting Group. It is designed to help innovation hubs become more inclusive by providing practical tools to support women and people living with disabilities who want to participate in the innovation ecosystem.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Ms. Joan Selasie Ahiawordor, spoke on behalf of NEIP’s CEO. She described the gathering as an important platform for shaping ideas and forming impactful partnerships. She reaffirmed NEIP’s strong commitment to empowering innovation hubs across Ghana.
Ms. Ahiawordor outlined NEIP’s strategy, which includes entrepreneurship training, access to funding, mentoring, and broader ecosystem development through joint efforts with local and international partners. She also highlighted the Adwumawura Programme, a flagship initiative aimed at creating 10,000 new businesses annually. The programme especially targets women, persons with disabilities, and those living in remote areas. She said the programme is not just about giving out money but also about helping entrepreneurs with guidance, capacity building, and business development.
GFA Consulting Group was also represented at the event. Mr. Muniru, who spoke on behalf of the organisation, said that GFA works closely with smaller hubs and organisations that may not have strong internal structures. He explained that by helping them access funds and build capacity, GFA creates a ripple effect that benefits the wider innovation community.
Also speaking was Mr. Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio and Programs Advisor at MEST Africa. He noted that while funding is important, genuine private sector participation is what will drive the startup ecosystem forward. He gave the example of telecoms company MTN, which he said moved beyond just offering sponsorship and began engaging directly in hackathons and innovation activities. According to him, this kind of involvement has helped change how MTN is seen by the startup community.
He further mentioned MedPharma, a health-focused startup that benefited from support within the ecosystem and is now set to launch an affordable health insurance product using MTN Mobile Money. He said this kind of collaboration between startups and big companies can help bridge gaps in healthcare access and also create new business opportunities.
The event ended with a renewed call for all stakeholders—from government and NGOs to private sector players—to work together and build an innovation-friendly environment that can produce results not just in cities but also in the rural areas where support is needed the most.
