European Union (EU) Representative and Team Leader for Economic, Private Sector and Trade, Timothy Dolan, has called for stronger support systems for young entrepreneurs, emphasising that entrepreneurship training must be complemented by mentorship, networks, visibility, access to finance and trust.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the first cohort of the International Certificate in Impact Entrepreneurship (ICIE) Programme in Accra on Thursday, 20 August 2026, Mr Dolan highlighted the importance of partnerships in creating an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs to move beyond training and build viable and sustainable businesses.
“If there is one word that captures the success of this programme, it is partnership. Partnership between universities and the private sector, because entrepreneurship cannot thrive in isolation from the real economy,” he said.
Mr Dolan noted that the ICIE Program demonstrated the value of collaboration among universities, private-sector actors and development partners. He highlighted the partnership between the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the E4Impact Foundation, with support from the Italian Cooperation, as an example of how strategic partnerships can create synergies around entrepreneurship and youth skills development.
He stressed that young entrepreneurs need more than classroom training to succeed.
“Partnership for young entrepreneurs who need not only training but also mentorship, network, visibility, finance and trust,” he added.
According to Mr Dolan, bringing these different forms of support together is critical to helping entrepreneurs translate their skills, ideas and innovations into viable businesses capable of creating lasting economic and social impact.
He further urged stakeholders to look beyond the certificates awarded at the end of entrepreneurship programs and consider the relationships, opportunities and networks created for participants.
“The real value of the programme lies not only in the certificates awarded today, but in the partnerships it has helped create and the opportunities it is opening for the future,” he said.
Building an Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
The first cohort comprised 80 entrepreneurs who completed the ICIE Program designed to equip young business owners with practical entrepreneurship skills, business coaching, mentorship and investor-readiness support across four partner universities: Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU), Ho Technical University (HTU), Takoradi Technical University (TTU), and the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS).
The programme was delivered from February to May 2026 under the EU–Ghana Pact for Skills Project: Support Tertiary Education for Sustainable Employability – Entrepreneurship Stream, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in partnership with the E4Impact Foundation.
The programme focused on equipping participating entrepreneurs with practical entrepreneurship skills, business development support, coaching, mentorship and opportunities to strengthen their readiness for investment and business growth.
The graduation ceremony, held at the E4Impact Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at UPSA Amartey Towers in Accra, brought together the graduating entrepreneurs, university representatives, business coaches, development partners and other stakeholders within Ghana’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
For the graduates, the completion of the programme marks the beginning of the next phase of their entrepreneurial journeys. As they work to grow their businesses, continued access to mentorship, networks, markets, finance and other forms of business support will be essential.
