The maiden Opplift Youth Entrepreneurs Summit 2026, an initiative of Opplift, took place on Friday at the British Council Auditorium in Accra.
The Summit, held under the theme “Build to Thrive: Equipping Young Entrepreneurs for Success in Ghana,” brought together vibrant young entrepreneurs, business leaders, industry experts, and key stakeholders in Accra to explore practical ways to build sustainable businesses and create economic opportunities for young people in Ghana.
The summit was designed to move beyond conversations about entrepreneurship by providing participants with practical knowledge, insights, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to support systems to help them build and grow sustainable businesses.
The summit seeks to curb persistent youth unemployment in Ghana by making the development of entrepreneurial skills and sustainable businesses an important part of the country’s economic development agenda.
The programme commenced with a welcome message from Kris Asleson, Founder of Opplift, followed by opening remarks from Nana Mensah, Team and Country Lead for Opplift, which set the tone for a day focused on practical entrepreneurship and youth empowerment.
In their address, they both highlighted the potential young talents possess and the need to support and equip them with available resources and mentorship to help them build sustainable businesses.
The first session featured Guest Speaker Ekow Mensah, who urged entrepreneurs to become intentional about how they use their time and resources while recognising the value of their skills.
Among the key lessons shared were the importance of avoiding relationships and activities that do not contribute to one’s purpose, understanding the value of time, mastering the art of selling and knowing when to engage professionals to handle specialised aspects of a business.
The second session focused on “Effective Use of Social Media by Startup Businesses” and was delivered by Stephen Naasei Boadi, a seasoned Marketing Consultant.
The session examined how startups can use social media more effectively as a tool for visibility, communication, customer engagement and business growth.
The third session featured a panel discussion involving business leaders and industry experts such as Richard Ohene Sika, Fashion Educationist and Talent Manager, Josephine Toudeka, Founder of Toudeka’s Enterprise and Eugene Wilson Ocran, Programs Manager at Opplift, who shared their entrepreneurial experiences and insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with building businesses in Ghana.
The panel session, moderated by Ms Valerie Danso, enabled panellists to share their journeys, challenges, and tips on what it takes to move from starting a business to building one that survives and grows.
A major highlight of the summit was the unveiling of 12 young beneficiaries selected to receive seed funding, logistical support, and mentorship to establish their ventures.
This intervention reinforces Opplift’s belief that youth entrepreneurship must be supported with practical resources and guidance if young people are to build sustainable livelihoods and contribute to job creation.
Beyond the summit, the event also created an avenue for young entrepreneurs to network, exchange experiences and connect with individuals and organisations within Ghana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The summit will be held annually, with subsequent editions continuing to provide young entrepreneurs with access to practical knowledge, mentorship, skills development, and opportunities to support business growth.
For Opplift, the objective is clear: youth entrepreneurship should not only inspire young people to start businesses but should equip them to build businesses that can survive, grow and create opportunities for others.
The success of the maiden summit therefore marks the beginning of a broader effort to support hardworking young people with the tools and opportunities needed to lift themselves out of poverty and contribute to Ghana’s economic growth.
The summit was held with support from Immix Law Group, Flyrise, Launchava, Patch Pro and the Council of Entrepreneurs.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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