GIZ Ghana has graduated 30 small and medium enterprises from its second Green Business Competitions incubation programme, bringing the total number of climate-focused businesses supported to 59 since the initiative launched.
The six-month programme, implemented in partnership with Ashesi University’s Ghana Climate Innovation Centre, provides participating SMEs with up to €10,000 grants alongside technical advisory services and online learning platforms to scale environmentally sustainable operations.
The first cohort alone created 104 jobs across waste management, energy efficiency, water management, climate-smart agriculture, and greening enterprises sectors. The programme targets supporting at least 50 SMEs to collectively generate over 100 employment opportunities while implementing green production practices.
Christian Jahn, Head of Programme for GIZ’s Private and Financial Sector initiative, emphasized the critical role of SMEs in climate action, noting they create more than 50 percent of employment globally but face constraints in adopting sustainable practices.
“What makes this day so special is that from hundreds of applicants 30 businesses were not only selected for the second cohort, but also equipped with knowledge, coaching, grant funding and, most importantly, with a chance to lead and show that inclusive green growth is not just a dream; it is a conscious decision,” Jahn stated.
The programme operates under GIZ Ghana’s Support to the Private and Financial Sector initiative, which aims to improve Ghana’s employment situation by empowering SMEs to contribute to economic development through job creation and sustainable business practices.
Nabeel Adum-Atta, Director for Partnerships, Entrepreneurship and Investment at GCIC, highlighted the economic significance of micro, small, and medium enterprises, which constitute 70 percent of Ghana’s GDP despite their individual size.
Participating businesses receive tailored support to achieve industry compliance and minimize carbon footprints through environmentally friendly production methods. The incubation includes masterclasses designed to strengthen commercial and operational capacity alongside financial grants for scaling operations.
Olivia Kipo, founder of participating business Kobaa-Ok, described how grant funding enabled her company to demonstrate climate-resilient practices to customers and smallholder farmers, encouraging broader adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices.
“Utilising the grant from GIZ and GCIC has enabled customers and smallholder farmers we work with to see the climate resilient practices that our business is implementing, which is in turn encouraging smallholder farmers to implement climate smart practices on their lands,” Kipo explained.
The Ghana Climate Innovation Centre, funded by Global Affairs Canada and GIZ, has incubated 363 climate entrepreneurs since 2017. The centre supports ventures in renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, waste management, water management, and solar power through business advisory services and proof-of-concept grants.
GCIC also advocates for policies enabling sustainable entrepreneurship while providing technical support to green economy ventures. The centre operates as an institute of Ashesi University, focusing on building Ghana’s pipeline of climate-focused enterprises.
The Green Business Competitions programme represents part of Germany’s broader development cooperation with Ghana, targeting sustainable economic growth through private sector engagement and environmental protection.
GIZ operates as Germany’s international cooperation agency for sustainable development, bringing over 50 years of experience in economic development, employment, energy, environment, peace, and security sectors across multiple countries.
The programme’s success demonstrates growing momentum in Ghana’s green economy transition, with participating enterprises addressing climate change challenges while creating employment opportunities in emerging sustainable industries.
Both organizations have committed to continuing support for Ghanaian entrepreneurs seeking to create jobs and drive sustainable impact across the country through climate-focused business models and environmentally responsible practices.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
