GNCCI rolls out new initiative to empower student entrepreneurs

An initiative to empower students in tertiary institutions to start and scale up their own businesses to help mitigate youth unemployment in the country has been launched.

Dubbed “The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) Junior Chamber”, it is expected to offer long-term support to assist young entrepreneurs in scaling their businesses, accessing markets and securing funding.

The project, an initiative of the GNCCI, will address these gaps by offering structured, practical and impactful solutions.

On the theme: "Empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs", the project was launched in Takoradi in the Western Region with support from the Takoradi Technical University (TTU).

Engine of economic growth

Launching the project in Takoradi, the Director-General of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET), Zakaria Sulemana, who represented his sector minister, said entrepreneurship was the engine of economic growth.

He said around the world, thriving economies were built on the foundation of innovation, enterprise and youth-driven creativity, and Ghana was no exception.

“Our ability to compete globally, create sustainable jobs and reduce youth unemployment depends on how well we empower young people with the skills, knowledge and opportunities to start and scale businesses.

In Ghana, youth entrepreneurship is not just an option—it is a necessity. With over 57% of our population under the age of 25, we have a youthful, energetic workforce ready to drive our economy forward. But for that to happen, we must create an enabling environment where young entrepreneurs can thrive,” he said.

He said the government has placed skills training, entrepreneurship and industrialisation at the centre of the country’s economic agenda, adding that “through targeted policies and programmes, we are ensuring that Ghana’s young people are not just job seekers but job creators.”

“At the Ministry of Education, we recognise that education must go beyond academic excellence—it must equip young people with practical skills, problem-solving abilities and an entrepreneurial mindset.

That is why we have introduced curriculum reforms, technical and vocational education (TVET) expansion and digital skills training to prepare our youth for the future of work,” Mr Sulemana.

Mitigating youth unemployment

The President of the GNCCI, Stephan Miezah, said despite various initiatives aimed at mitigating youth unemployment, a gap remains in providing comprehensive, long-term support to assist young entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs in scaling their businesses, coming up with business ideas, accessing markets and securing funding.

He said this underscores the importance of the GNCCI Junior Chamber and CBDE Incubator leveraging on the years of experience of the chamber and its experienced members in the business world.

“Through this initiative, we seek to bridge the gap between education and real-world entrepreneurship. Young people need, in addition to their academic knowledge, opportunities to develop practical skills, access mentorship and receive the support they need to bring their business ideas to life.

“We now live in a world where traditional career paths are no longer the only option for success. Entrepreneurship offers a way forward, not only to solve the challenges of unemployment but also to drive economic growth, innovation and social change,” he said.

He added that it was essential that stakeholders create platforms such as the junior chamber initiative to offer young people the space, guidance and support needed to turn their ideas into thriving businesses.

Indispensable role

For his part, the Vice Chancellor of Takoradi Technical University (TTU), Prof. John Eshun, said the youth play an indispensable role in the socio-economic development 
of nations, and their potential must not be overlooked.

However, he said youth unemployment has been on the rise, partly due to traditional courses offered by many tertiary institutions, which often lack direct linkages to the world of work.

“To mitigate this dependency, tertiary institutions in Ghana, including TTU, have incorporated entrepreneurship education into their curricula. The GNCCI Junior Chamber and TTU Incubator are key milestones in this journey, providing students with practical avenues to translate their innovative ideas into commercially viable enterprises,” he said.