MTN Promotes women Entrepreneurship with Adwumapa Initiative
By Maame Efua Kwaduah
Telecommunications company MTN Ghana has introduced the Adwumapa product, a digital solution designed to support women-led businesses with affordable data and insurance benefits to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the country.
The initiative forms part of the company’s efforts to boost small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improve financial inclusion among women entrepreneurs.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Ghana, Angela Mensah-Poku, the Manager for Enterprise Segment and Product Development, Maame Ama Simpson, said the Adwumapa bundle was specifically designed to support women in business with digital tools and opportunities to grow their enterprises.
Speaking to the New Finder on the sidelines of the 8th National Women’s Summit and Expo, she revealed that the Adwumapa product goes beyond providing data bundles and forms part of MTN’s broader SME Accelerate agenda, which focuses on capacity building and business development for SMEs.
She explained that under the SME Accelerate programme, MTN organises initiatives such as SME clinics, business fairs, digital training sessions and webinars to equip entrepreneurs with the skills required to run and expand their businesses.
Ms. Simpson noted that the programme also provides access to markets through SME fairs and mobile marketplace platforms where businesses can showcase their products and services, while partnerships with financial institutions help provide funding opportunities for women-owned enterprises.
As part of the initiative, MTN has also introduced a business pitch competition aimed at providing financial support to entrepreneurs.
According to her, several applicants submitted entries for the competition, but the number was reduced to five finalists who underwent interviews, with the overall winner receiving a 30,000-dollar grant to help expand business operations.
Ms. Simpson noted that while training and mentorship are important for entrepreneurs, access to finance remains critical for business growth.
She further disclosed that MTN has partnered with Sanlam Allianz to provide insurance support for subscribers of the Adwumapa bundle.
The insurance package provides coverage of up to GH¢8,250 and includes benefits such as hospitalisation support, compensation for total permanent disability, fire protection and public liability coverage.
She explained that subscribers must consistently purchase the bundle for at least three months before becoming eligible for the insurance benefits.
According to her, customers can subscribe to the Adwumapa bundle by dialling *5060#, after which they receive a notification with a link to complete a form to activate the insurance package.
Ms. Simpson added that the Adwumapa initiative also provides networking opportunities, training sessions and market access programmes for women entrepreneurs, while helping small business owners who may not yet be active in the digital space to promote their businesses online.
Meanwhile, some participants at the programme described the initiative as insightful, noting that it provided an opportunity to learn from other entrepreneurs, understand how to pitch and showcase businesses and network with other women in business.
They also commended organisers for making the programme free and expressed hope that such initiatives would continue to support women entrepreneurs.
