Former NEIP Director Credits Nana Addo for Transforming Ghana’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
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Edited by Solomon Kwabena Nana-Ansah – Paaps –
Former Director of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Joseph Osei Oppong-Brenya, has credited former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with transforming Ghana’s entrepreneurial landscape through the establishment and expansion of NEIP.
Speaking at the Youth in Modern Entrepreneurship programme organised by the India-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Oppong-Brenya described NEIP as a landmark initiative that provided structured support for startups, youth, women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), kayayei, students and prison inmates.
According to him, the programme, launched in July 2017, became the government’s flagship vehicle for promoting entrepreneurship, creating jobs and supporting small businesses through funding, business development services and skills training.
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He noted that by the end of 2023, NEIP supported approximately 15,000 startups and contributed to the creation of more than 103,000 jobs, helping position Ghana as an emerging innovation hub in West Africa.
Mr. Oppong-Brenya highlighted several flagship interventions implemented under the programme, including the Students Entrepreneurship Initiative, the Presidential Empowerment Programme for Persons with Disabilities, the Kayayei Empowerment Programme, Entrepreneurship for Restoration for prison inmates, Youth in Innovative Agriculture, Presidential Business Support Programme and Hubs Acceleration Grants.
He said the initiatives equipped thousands of beneficiaries with entrepreneurial skills, financial support and market opportunities, enabling many to establish and expand successful businesses.
The former NEIP Director urged policymakers to sustain and build on the programme’s achievements, stressing that its long-term success lies in strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems rather than relying solely on financial assistance.
He maintained that the NEIP model demonstrated how strategic government support can drive job creation, innovation and inclusive economic growth across the country.
