The Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Ghana, Magdalena Wüst, has joined efforts to promote entrepreneurship and inclusive economic development in Ghana, as the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) SheTrades Initiative expands support for women-led businesses through digital skills, finance and access to markets.
The latest phase of the programme includes in-country workshops and online training designed to help Ghanaian entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses and compete more effectively in domestic and international markets. The Connect, Sell, Grow workshop held in Accra on August 6–7, 2026, was delivered by ITC SheTrades in partnership with UPS, Visa and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), which hosts the SheTrades Ghana Hub.
The programme places strong emphasis on practical digital tools. Participants in the established-business track worked with data and digital marketing tools, explored ways of becoming finance-ready and received guidance from UPS and Visa on reaching customers beyond Ghana.
Entrepreneurs at an earlier stage were also introduced to AI tools, Canva and Google Workspace, as well as business-model development and the use of LinkedIn to improve their professional visibility.
The broader Ghana programme was launched in June 2026 following the expansion of ITC SheTrades and Visa’s digital trade initiative to Ghana. The programme is designed to strengthen business competitiveness, digital skills and financial inclusion among women-led businesses, with training covering financial literacy, business management, e-commerce and digital payments, alongside networking and market-access opportunities.
Women entrepreneurs are a particular focus because they account for an estimated 44% of Ghana’s small businesses, yet continue to face barriers including limited access to capital, stringent collateral requirements, complex lending processes and gaps in digital literacy. ITC says the Ghana programme is intended to help address these barriers and enable women-led businesses to trade and scale across borders.
The initiative builds on the SheTrades Ghana Hub, launched by ITC and GEPA in March 2024 as a resource centre for women entrepreneurs seeking training, market opportunities and investment connections. The Hub is part of ITC’s global SheTrades network, which aims to create the conditions for women entrepreneurs and producers to participate more effectively in international trade.
Switzerland is among the longstanding international partners supporting the wider SheTrades agenda. Through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Switzerland contributes to ITC’s work to strengthen the capacity of women producers and traders, improve access to knowledge and networks, and support more inclusive participation in global trade.
For Switzerland, the engagement also fits within its broader economic-development cooperation with Ghana, which includes support for private-sector development, skills, productivity and inclusive economic growth. Wüst has previously highlighted Switzerland’s partnership with Ghana in promoting enterprise competitiveness and sustainable economic development.
The expansion of SheTrades in Ghana therefore brings together international development partners, Ghanaian institutions and the private sector around a common objective: equipping entrepreneurs, particularly women-led businesses, with the digital, financial and business capabilities needed to grow, access new markets and participate more effectively in the global economy.
Contributor: Nana Kofi Twum-Ampofo Nerrose Jones
Related Posts
