NEIP Ends 3-Day Workshop on Adwumawura Training Manual

The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) has successfully concluded a three-day knowledge-sharing workshop aimed at strengthening the training manual for the government’s flagship initiative ‘The Adwumawura Programme.’

The strategic workshop brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including the British Council Ghana, represented by the Country Director, Mr. Nii Dodoo Doodo and his deputy, Mr. Richard Shiangbor who is also the Director for Programmes/partnerships, the Ghana Hubs Network, the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs, Professor Obi Berko Damoah from the University of Ghana Business School, a rep from the University of Ghana Business School Innovation Hub.

Others were business consultants, a consultant on the Ghana Economic Transformation Project being funded by the World Bank, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Youth Development And Empowerment, and financial institutions such as Absa Bank Ghana LTD.

The workshop served as a vital platform for entrepreneurship experts, academics, training specialists, industry players, and other key stakeholders to provide valuable inputs and recommendations for enhancing ‘The Adwumawura Programme’ entrepreneurship training manual.

The final day of the workshop mainly focused on refining and validating the entrepreneurship training modules for all targeted groups.

Stakeholders from across sectors including entrepreneurship trainers, policy experts, academia, development partners, innovation hubs, and financial institutions participated in technical sessions to ensure the curriculum is relevant, inclusive, and tailored to the Ghanaian entrepreneurial landscape.

Key activities at the workshop focused on the presentation of the revised training framework, expert reviews to ensure quality, accessibility, and real-world impact.

In his closing remarks, the acting Chief Executive of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, Mr. Eric Adjei, expressed sincere appreciation to all participants and reaffirmed NEIP’s commitment to deliver a world-class entrepreneurship training programme that empowers youth, unlocks business potential, and accelerates local economic development.

Before this engagement, it had explored partnership with British Council Ghana, financial institutions to boost funding and the University of Ghana Business School Innovation Hub in an effort to build partnership to drive innovations and entrepreneurship particularly among students.

The British Council, having over 80years of operation in Ghana, highlighted the many interventions and initiatives it has embarked on, including the development of structured training curriculum for entrepreneurship, commissioning research on hubs, and working with tertiary institutions.

NEIP outlined its core mandate: to nurture, enable, and empower startups and innovations. This involves providing integrated business support services to foster sustainable businesses, create jobs, and cultivate a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Engagement between the financial institution brought together a distinguished line-up of commercial banks, insurance firms, and development finance institutions, including Stanbic Bank Ghana, Fidelity Bank Ghana, Absa Bank Ghana LTD, Zenith Bank Ghana Limited, Opportunity International, First Insurance, Unique Insurance, Ghana Union Assurance, among others.

Discussions focused on the pivotal role financial institutions play in enabling access to capital, mitigating risks, and strengthening the long-term sustainability of youth-led enterprises across the country.

Each participating institution shared their current initiatives and expressed a strong willingness to collaborate with NEIP in advancing the objectives of the Adwumawura Programme.

Speaking at the event, the CEO of NEIP, Mr. Eric Adjei, emphasized the importance of collaboration between the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme and financial institutions in creating a conducive environment for entrepreneurs to thrive.

Partnership with the University of Ghana Business School Innovation Hub is strategically in an effort to build partnership to drive innovations and entrepreneurship particularly among students.

The management of NEIP during the meeting were received by Prof. Albert Ahenkan, Head of Department for Public Administration and Health Service Management and Acting Dean of UGBS and Prof. George Acheampong, Director at UGBS innovation Hub together with other staff of the Hub.

The management of NEIP took the opportunity to highlight the vision of President John Dramani Mahama to drive innovation and entrepreneurship through ‘The Adwumawura Programme’ which basically seeks to support 10,000 Ghanaian youth owned businesses with training, access to funding, market, business advisory services, and mentoring.

Other initiatives such as the Graduate Entrepreneurs Empowerment Programme, Student Entrepreneurship Initiative being implemented by NEIP were also discussed on how to collectively implement these initiatives successfully to realize the vision of President Mahama to address youth unemployment by providing comprehensive support to nurture ideas and scale existing businesses.

The UGBS Innovation Hub also highlighted its commitment as a Hub to support entrepreneurship and partner with the government particularly under ‘The Adwumawura Programme.’

This is a step towards bridging the gap between academia and industry and harnessing efforts to successfully implement ‘The Adwumawura Programme’ and other initiatives of government to drive entrepreneurship and innovations.

About The Adwumawura Programme

The Programme is a fulfillment of the NDC campaign promise to prioritize youth empowerment and job creation.

The AdwumaWura Programme aims to create, track, and monitor young businesses annually, with a special focus on the youth.

In its first phase, the top 2,000 implementable business proposals will receive comprehensive support, including:

• Business Development Training: Equipping young entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in business.

• Mentorship: Pairing young entrepreneurs with experienced business leaders and mentors.

• Access to Start-up Capital: Providing financial support to help young entrepreneurs turn their business ideas into reality.

• Marketing and Networking: Offering platforms for young entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services, and connect with potential customers and partners.

The Programme is expected to have a significant impact on Ghana’s economy, as it will help to create jobs, stimulate innovation, and promote entrepreneurship among young people.