Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, has called for deliberate mentorship frameworks and targeted capacity building to increase women and youth participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), warning that structural gaps continue to limit inclusive trade across the continent.
Speaking on day one of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2026, Prof. Amfo stressed that collaboration and innovation must be matched with sustained support systems if women-led enterprises are to compete effectively within Africa’s single market.
The event, organised by the Africa Prosperity Network under the theme “Empowering SMEs, Women and Youth in Africa’s Single Market: Innovate. Collaborate. Trade.”, brought together policymakers, investors and business leaders to address barriers to inclusive trade.
Prof. Amfo participated in a high-level panel titled “From Boardrooms to Borders: Women Driving the AfCFTA Agenda,” alongside Deputy Chief of Staff (Finance and Administration), Hon. Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, and Managing Director of Access Bank PLC, Pearl Nkrumah, among other prominent women leaders.
Her intervention comes at a time when small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for nearly 80 percent of employment across Africa but face an estimated US$331 billion financing gap. Women entrepreneurs, despite their growing economic presence, receive less than 2 percent of venture capital funding, according to figures highlighted at the Dialogue.
By emphasising mentorship and capacity building, Prof. Amfo pointed to the need for structured support mechanisms that go beyond policy declarations, particularly in equipping women and youth with the skills, networks and confidence required to scale their businesses across borders under AfCFTA.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2026 seeks to unlock the transformative potential of SMEs, women and youth by promoting collaboration, showcasing scalable solutions and addressing systemic barriers to trade within Africa’s single market.
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