Bold claim: Youth are the future of entrepreneurship—and they deserve a clear, supported path to turn ideas into thriving businesses. And this is where many programs still miss the mark. Absa Bank Ghana, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, is actively strengthening that path by aligning finance, capability-building, and ecosystem support for young entrepreneurs.
The 2025 Youth Entrepreneurship Dialogue, hosted at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, under the theme “Dream, Build, Thrive: The Future is Young,” gathered a diverse group of participants. Attendees included aspiring youth entrepreneurs, policy-makers, financial sector players, ecosystem leaders, and development partners. The conversations focused on how to improve access to finance, enhance market readiness, build capability, and create coordinated support for youth-led ventures.
Speaking on behalf of Absa Bank Ghana’s Managing Director, Dr. Edward Nartey Botchway, Nana Essilfuah Tamakloe, Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, emphasized the necessity of structured, credible support that helps young people move from idea to action and from action to scale. “Ghana’s youth are not lacking ambition or ideas; they’re already shaping our economy. What they need is a reliable framework that translates ideas into action and action into growth. Absa Bank is committed to walking this journey with them and providing scalable pathways,” she said. She also thanked the Mastercard Foundation for its enduring partnership, noting that the collaboration continues to unlock genuine opportunities for youth entrepreneurs nationwide.
Representing the Mastercard Foundation, Nafisatu Baboo, Acting Head of Inclusion, highlighted how the alliance with Absa Bank Ghana demonstrates what’s possible when institutions share a mission: expanding financial inclusion, unlocking entrepreneurship, and creating real chances for young people—especially young women and persons with disabilities.
A panel featuring experts from NEIP, Absa, MEST Ghana, and the broader start‑up community examined structural barriers facing young entrepreneurs. Key challenges identified included limited access to finance, poor record-keeping, gaps in market access, and ecosystem fragmentation. Panelists urged stronger cross‑institution coordination, improved business documentation, broader grant and patient‑capital options, and greater use of digital tools to bolster credibility.
Entrepreneurs participating in the Absa Young Africa Works program shared how access to skill-building, coaching, and funding has helped them become more resilient, refine their business models, and scale sustainably.
Breakout sessions explored three themes: access to finance, market access, and technology. The dialogue culminated in an exhibition showcasing products and innovations from beneficiaries of the Absa Bank–Mastercard Foundation partnership.
Since 2020, the Young Africa Works partnership has unlocked more than US$137 million in affordable financing, benefiting over 8,000 businesses, 60 percent of which are led by women. The collaboration has also provided training, coaching, and mentoring to more than 7,000 businesses, contributing to the creation of over 50,000 jobs for young people.
The 2025 Dialogue is part of Absa Bank Ghana’s Citizenship Dialogue Series, an effort to convene ecosystem actors and align practical interventions to strengthen Ghana’s youth entrepreneurship landscape.
Post Script: For more insights and updates, explore The Business & Financial Times and subscribe to receive posts by email.
