Social Media Offers New Opportunities for Businesses
By Joyce Ayine
Managing Director of Afrovivo International Limited, Kwabena Yeboah Adarkwa, says building a business in Ghana remains challenging, but young people today have unprecedented opportunities due to the rise of social media and the internet. Speaking on Next Gen Connect on Zed FM, he stated that while entrepreneurship is not easy, the digital age has lowered the entry barriers for many aspiring business owners.
“As young people, we have the opportunity. We are at the best time now. Every young person can start a business because of the social media age, the internet media age,” he said. According to him, digital platforms have made it easier to promote products and services, reach customers, and build brands with limited capital. However, he cautioned that while starting may appear easier, scaling a business remains difficult. “It makes things a bit soft, but hard when it begins to scale,” he explained.
Mr. Adarkwa observed that many young entrepreneurs focus too much on making quick money rather than investing in systems, structures, and long-term strategies that sustain growth. He stressed that once a business begins to expand, it often encounters operational, financial, and regulatory hurdles. Despite these challenges, he acknowledged that recent government reforms have created a relatively more flexible environment for young people to venture into business.
He further pointed out that Ghana lacks a strong national business ecosystem to adequately support young entrepreneurs. According to him, the country is still in the early stages of developing structures that nurture startups and innovation. Operating within an emerging market, he said, many entrepreneurs are building tech-enabled products, but Ghana has not yet reached a phase where technology is fully integrated across all sectors.
Mr. Adarkwa concluded that significant structural improvements are needed to strengthen the entrepreneurial landscape and help young businesses thrive sustainably.
