The fifth season of the Presidential Pitch, a flagship initiative of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), has been launched to boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country.

Speaking during the launch at Movenpick hotel in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of NEIP, Mr. Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, explained that the Presidential Pitch “has become a catalyst for youth entrepreneurship in Ghana, with a focus on empowering young entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality”.

“Since its inception in 2017, the programme has supported over 250,000 beneficiaries with business development support, provided starter packs to 35,000 businesses, and facilitated funding for 15,000 entrepreneurs, resulting in the creation of approximately 100,000 jobs,” Mr. Ofosu Nkansah pointed out.

Mr Nkansah said the programme received applications from various sectors, such as financial technology (Fintech), manufacturing and processing, food and beverage, agri-business, tourism and creative sector, and technical, vocational education and training (TVET).

He, therefore, urged the finalists not to have doubts about what they could do, but look up to Fintech giants such as ZeePay, Express pay, and Hubtel, which all faced difficulties on their way up the ladder.

Mr Nkansah mentioned some of the accomplished businessmen and women who had been mentoring the pitchers. They included the founder and CEO of ZeePay, Andrew Tekyi Appiah; the Akyempemhene of the Juaben Traditional Area, the 2022 Overall National Best Farmer, Oheneba Gyan Siriboe; and the Chief Executive of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong.

In his address, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reiterated his government’s commitment to creating a conducive ecosystem for entrepreneurship to thrive. “I am proud to support the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators in Ghana, and I am confident that they will drive the country’s economic growth and development,” he stated.

The President personally donated GHC50,000 to Naamgwinaa Samuel, the winner of the Presidential Pitch – Season 5, in addition to the initial cash prize of GHC250,000. He noted that the programme’s impact, since its inception in 2017, had been impressive, with a focus on innovation, feasibility, scalability, employability, and sustainability.

President Akufo-Addo renamed the overall prize for the Presidential Pitch in honour of the late Dr. John Kumah, the founding CEO of the programme. The newly renamed Dr. John A. Kumah Prize for Entrepreneurship and Innovation was awarded to Naamgwinaa Samuel, who impressed the judges with his innovative Smart Switches.