MTN Ghana, in partnership with The Academic Woman Foundation (TAW), organized the “She Builds” Conference at the Accra International Conference Centre on September 10, 2025.
The event brought together women leaders, professionals, and advocates to explore opportunities for empowerment, leadership development, and digital inclusion.
Angela Mensah-Poku, Chief Enterprise Officer at MTN Ghana, emphasized the vital role women play in Ghana’s economy and the persistent barriers preventing them from scaling their businesses.
She noted that about 80% of informal businesses are led by women, yet many remain locked out of growth opportunities due to barriers such as access to funding, digital tools, formal networks, and mentorship.
Ms. Mensah-Poku highlighted digital identity as a key challenge, stating that many women entrepreneurs still register their mobile phone numbers in their husbands’ names, which limits their access to mobile money, banking services, and other growth enablers. She called for mentorship, training, and digital tools to help women entrepreneurs “move from good to great to greatest.”
As part of its presentation, MTN Ghana introduced practical SME solutions tailored for women-led enterprises which include An SME-focused product designed to support businesses with digital solutions and digital platform for businesses to establish an online presence.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, commended Ghana’s progress in addressing women’s issues while acknowledging persistent gaps.
She celebrated women’s contributions across critical sectors and highlighted the achievement of Ghana’s first female Vice President, Professor Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, as a beacon of hope for young girls everywhere.
The conference, themed “Women in Entrepreneurship, Law, Built Environment and Engineering: Where Are We Now, Where Are We Going, and What Do We Need to Do?”, convened leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to chart pathways to strengthen representation and leadership.
