Incubator Centre, MTN launch joint programme

The Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre (GMIC), in partnership with MTN Ghana have launched the GMIC/MTN Business Incubator Partnership programme in Accra.

Under the initiative, eight start-up companies with ICT projects have been selected and would be nurtured to develop their ideas into businesses.

This means that the new crop of software developers have joined a growing network of ICT engineers that have already benefited from the project.

The move follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between GMIC and MTN to support the business incubation programme.

Speaking to the media at the launch in Accra, the Executive Director of MTN Ghana Foundation, Mrs Cynthia Lumor, said MTN Ghana had invested GH¢304,500 into the incubation programme as part of its corporate social responsibility to develop the necessary skills and resources needed to build successful and financially viable businesses.

Mrs Lumor indicated that MTN Ghana was very excited about the project because it gave meaning to the dream of MTN which was to build businesses in the country.

She added that “without entrepreneurs such as you our dream of making Ghana a digital economy cannot be achieved.”

She noted that the MTN Ghana Foundation, under its economic empowerment project, was committed to providing resources that would help grow small businesses into viable medium to large companies.

Impact of GMIC

The Director General of National Information Technology Agency (NITA), Mr George Attah-Boateng, said GMIC had been able to commercialise 11 products and services, as well as created about 120 direct and 40 indirect jobs.

“Currently, there are nine resident tenant companies and five virtual tenants in the incubator, excluding the MTN- sponsored ones. Three of the old tenants were scheduled to be graduated from the incubator last year, but for some challenges encountered,” he noted.

He said although the incubator could boast an appreciable level of success as compared with the average success rate of start-ups in incubators worldwide, a lot more could have been achieved.

Take advantage of opportunities in ICT sector 

The Minister of Communications, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, urged young start-ups in the country to take advantage of the vast opportunities and potentials in the ICT sector.

He said the business incubation was very important because it challenged the minds and demanded creative thinking of the youth. He added that the project would help generate decent jobs for the unemployed youth.

Commending MTN Foundation for the support, the minister gave a firm assurance that the government would also support the project to make it successful.