The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has signalled its readiness to work with the African Start-ups and SMEs in Export Trade Secretariat to strengthen the capacity of Ghanaian startups and small and medium-sized enterprises to break into regional and international markets.
The assurance came from the Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Sampson Ahi, who received a delegation from ASSETS on behalf of the Sector Minister, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, during a courtesy call at the Ministry. The delegation was led by the organisation’s Team Lead, Mr. Peter Adetor.
The visit brought ASSETS before Ministry officials to introduce its work and explore how the two institutions might collaborate on trade and industrialisation efforts already underway in Ghana.
ASSETS, a pan-African non-profit organisation headquartered in Accra, focuses on helping African startups and SMEs access global markets, with particular emphasis on opportunities created under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, the visit was aimed at introducing ASSETS and its ongoing trade support initiatives for Ghanaian startups and SMEs while exploring opportunities for collaboration with the Ministry in advancing the country’s trade and industrialization agenda.
Delegation Outlines Areas for Joint Action
During the meeting, the ASSETS delegation identified several areas where collaboration with the Ministry could yield results. These included capacity building for local businesses, export readiness programmes, coordinated trade missions, and stronger implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area across the country.
Discussions between both sides also extended to the policy environment surrounding SME participation in international trade. Officials examined how government could support businesses in areas such as access to finance, compliance with trade regulations, and entry into new markets, all of which remain persistent obstacles for many small enterprises attempting to scale beyond Ghana’s borders.
Ministry Commends ASSETS Mission
Speaking on behalf of the Sector Minister, Hon. Sampson Ahi praised ASSETS for its continued support of Ghanaian businesses and its broader contribution to promoting trade across the African continent. He described the organisation’s work as aligned with government’s own ambitions to expand the reach of local enterprises.
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working with strategic partners to create opportunities for local enterprises to expand into regional and global markets.
His remarks reflect a growing recognition within government circles that SME competitiveness depends heavily on structured support systems, particularly as more Ghanaian businesses look to take advantage of continental trade frameworks that remain underutilised by smaller firms.
ASSETS’ Broader Mission Across Africa
Beyond the meeting itself, the African Startups and SMEs in Export & Trade Secretariat operates with a defined set of objectives centred on improving how African startups and SMEs engage with international trade.
The organisation works to facilitate market access for businesses seeking to enter export markets, while also offering training, mentorship and advisory services designed to sharpen their competitiveness on the global stage.
The Secretariat also positions itself as an advocate for policy reform, pushing for regulations that support the growth of startups and SMEs engaged in cross-border trade. Its work extends to promoting sustainable and inclusive trade practices that benefit not only businesses but the wider communities connected to them.
To achieve these goals, ASSETS has built partnerships with government agencies, trade organisations and businesses across the continent, positioning itself as a bridge between policy institutions and the enterprises that stand to benefit from stronger trade frameworks.
A Step Toward Expanding SME Access to Global Markets
The courtesy call marks an early but notable step in what could become a formal working relationship between the Ministry and ASSETS.
For Ghanaian startups and SMEs, many of which struggle to navigate export requirements or secure financing for expansion, the potential partnership offers a pathway toward the kind of structured support that has often been missing from the country’s trade ecosystem.
Whether this engagement translates into concrete programmes will depend on how quickly both institutions move from discussion to implementation. For now, the meeting signals an alignment of interests between government’s industrialisation agenda and ASSETS’ continental mission to help smaller businesses compete on a bigger stage.
READ ALSO: VP Opoku-Agyemang Urges Security Agencies to Build Public Trust
