The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) has pledged to provide post-graduation support to entrepreneurs who completed the first edition of the International Certificate in Impact Entrepreneurship (ICIE) Programme, with a focus on business formalisation, market access and product certification.
Speaking at the ICIE graduation ceremony held on Thursday, 20 August 2026, at the E4Impact Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at UPSA Amartey Towers in Accra, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency, Mr Prince Iddrisu Mahmoud, said the Agency was prepared to support the graduates beyond the training programme by connecting them to relevant Business Advisory and Business Support (BBS) services.
Mr Iddrisu explained that the support would help entrepreneurs translate the knowledge and skills gained through the programme into stronger and more market-ready businesses.
“We want to support them with relevant Business Advisory and Business Support (BBS) services. We want to help them with business formalisation, create more access to the market, and also support them with product certification, which is key because, before you can penetrate the market, your products must meet the required standards.”
He emphasised the importance of product certification for entrepreneurs seeking to enter larger and more formal markets. According to him, meeting the required standards is essential for businesses seeking opportunities to supply established markets.
Using the Ghana Mall initiative as an example, Mr Iddrisu noted that the GEA can only stock products that meet the required certification standards.
“We will only shelve your product when the certifications are up to standard. So, at the Ghana Enterprises Agency, that is the link we want to provide on this programme so that, once they graduate, we hand-hold them, take them through coaching and BBS services, and also get them through the business certification process.”
The GEA’s proposed support provides an important link between entrepreneurship training and the practical requirements entrepreneurs face as they formalise, strengthen and grow their businesses.
Building Entrepreneurs Beyond the Classroom
The first cohort of the International Certificate in Impact Entrepreneurship (ICIE) Programme graduated 80 entrepreneurs from 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: 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.
Across the four participating universities, entrepreneurs engaged in practical entrepreneurship training, business development, coaching, mentorship, pitching and activities designed to strengthen their readiness for investment and sustainable business growth. The program’s emphasis was not simply on acquiring entrepreneurial knowledge, but on helping participants develop and refine viable, impact-driven business ventures.
The program also provided opportunities for participants to test and present their business ideas, engage with industry and ecosystem stakeholders, and strengthen their entrepreneurial capabilities.
A Pathway from Skills to Business Growth
The ICIE Programme is designed to equip entrepreneurs with practical skills and an impact-oriented mindset to build sustainable businesses. Its approach combines entrepreneurship education with coaching, mentorship, business development and exposure to investors and other ecosystem actors.
For the graduating entrepreneurs, however, the end of the training represents the beginning of another stage of their entrepreneurial journey.
GEA’s proposed post-programme support could help bridge the gap between learning how to build a business and meeting the formal requirements needed to operate, access markets and scale.
Business formalisation, product certification and market access are particularly important as entrepreneurs move from early-stage development towards larger and more structured markets. By connecting graduates to relevant business support services, the GEA can complement the skills, coaching and networks developed through the ICIE Programme.
The graduation ceremony brought together the entrepreneurs, university partners, lecturers, business coaches, development partners and other stakeholders from Ghana’s entrepreneurship ecosystem to celebrate the completion of the first cohort and the ventures developed through the programme.
As the graduates move into the next phase of their entrepreneurial journeys, continued collaboration among institutions such as the GEA, E4Impact Foundation, UNCDF, universities, private-sector actors and other ecosystem partners will be important in helping young entrepreneurs translate their ideas and capabilities into sustainable businesses that create economic and social value.
