MTN Ghana has launched a National Business Pitch Competition to provide funding, mentorship and digital business support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across all 16 regions of the country.
The annual competition, which is expected to begin next year, will select three SMEs from each region, resulting in 48 participants.
The annual competition, which is expected to begin next year, will select three SMEs from each region, resulting in 48 participants.
Each of the 16 regional winners will receive GH¢30,000 totalling GH¢450,000.
The overall national winner will receive GH¢300,000 at the grand finale bringing the total prize money to GH¢750,000
The initiative forms part of activities marking MTN Ghana’s 30th anniversary under the theme, “30 Years of Progress, Powered by You.”
Launching the competition, the Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Ghana, Angela Mensah-Poku, said the initiative was designed in response to feedback from businesses that had supported the company over the years.
“When we settled on that theme, Ghanaian businesses were at the forefront of our minds. Many have been with us from the beginning as customers. This programme is our way of thanking them for their support over the years,” she said.
She said the initiative was not simply about providing cash but creating a platform through which entrepreneurs could access the tools, advice and networks required to grow their businesses.
Ms Mensah-Poku said Ghanaian entrepreneurs had demonstrated resilience despite challenges such as rising rents, customers buying on credit and difficulties in accessing finance.
“Ghanaian entrepreneurs have demonstrated their skill and determination. What many need are the right tools, the right advice and access to the right people,” she said.
She explained that the success of MTN was closely linked to the growth of businesses, since expanding enterprises created jobs and increased demand for connectivity, digital payments, cloud services and data security.
“Our success is connected to the success of businesses,” she said.
Eligibility
The Manager for Enterprise Segment and Product Development at MTN Ghana, Maame Ama Simpson, said the competition was open to SMEs operating in all 16 regions, ranging from one-person businesses to larger enterprises.
She said applicants must have a valid business registration certificate and have been in operation for at least one year.
Businesses must also operate in the region in which they register and provide a tax clearance certificate or relevant local authority documentation.
Ms Simpson said applicants would also be required to provide financial records or evidence of business activity, including a MoMo or MoMo merchant account, as well as a Ghana Card for identification.
Employees of MTN Ghana are not eligible to participate.
Applications will be submitted through a portal on the MTN corporate website, with the link also to be shared on the company’s social media platforms.
Applicants will be required to answer a question in not more than 1,000 words and submit a video pitch of not more than three minutes.
Ms Simpson said applications would be accepted within a designated 10-day window, with all required documents to be submitted for applicants to qualify.
Selection
She said the 48 selected SMEs would be grouped into four zones for the pitching sessions.
Zone A will comprise Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta and Oti, while Zone B will cover Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono East and Bono.
Western North, Western and Central will constitute Zone C, with Zone D comprising Northern, North East, Upper East, Upper West and Savannah.
One winner will emerge from each region and receive GH¢30,000.
The 16 regional winners will subsequently participate in a two-day boot camp featuring one-on-one coaching and mentoring.
The participants will then take part in a business challenge and pitch their enterprises, from which five finalists will be selected for the national grand finale.
The overall winner will receive GH¢300,000.
Beyond funding
Ms Simpson said the competition would provide participants with benefits beyond the cash awards.
The 48 selected businesses will each receive 100GB of data, while other support will include digital business solutions, mentoring, networking opportunities, vouchers and a business surveillance camera.
The national winner will also receive a high-end device.
She said the participants would receive mentoring for one year, while an independent body would monitor the use of the funds.
National expansion
The Senior Manager for SME Sales, Partnerships and Business Broadband at MTN Ghana, Mohammed Abu Bakar Siddiq, said the national competition was an expansion of MTN’s previous business pitch programmes, which had been organised in selected regions over the past two years.
He said the positive response from participating businesses influenced the decision to expand the initiative nationwide.
“Many customers appreciated the opportunity to showcase their businesses and receive funding to support their growth. Based on that feedback, we have launched the national competition to reach SMEs across the country,” he said.
Mr Siddiq said MTN believed that providing the right support to SMEs could help them grow into larger companies, create jobs and contribute more significantly to the economy.
“MTN also started as a small business. Through support and visionary leadership, it has grown into the company it is today. That is the kind of growth we want to help SMEs achieve,” he said.
He said the competition would be an annual programme, with the regional activities beginning at the start of the year and culminating in the national final towards the end of the year.
He said independent judges, who would not be employees of MTN, would assess the participating businesses and select the winners.
Mr Siddiq urged businesses to monitor MTN’s website and social media platforms for the application link and further announcements.
