From Training to Transformation: How the ICIE Programme Empowered Entrepreneurs at UBIDS

The Deputy Director of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Iddrisu D. Mahmoud, has underscored the critical role of entrepreneurship in addressing Ghana’s unemployment challenges.

He urge young people to embrace business creation as a viable pathway to economic empowerment.

Mr. Mahmoud made the remarks during a business pitch competition organised by the E4Impact Foundation under the International Certificate in Impact Entrepreneurship (ICIE) programme at the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) in Wa.

The ICIE programme was launched in February this year at UBIDS under the EU–Ghana Pact for Skills, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in partnership with the E4Impact Foundation, to equip entrepreneurs with practical skills needed to build and sustain impactful businesses.

Speaking to Info Radio on the sidelines of the event, Mr. Mahmoud said the programme forms part of a collaboration between the Ghana Enterprises Agency and E4Impact Foundation Ghana to support startups and scale-up businesses through incubation and mentorship.

“This programme is centred on helping students develop an entrepreneurial mindset and enabling us to monitor the progress of their business development,” he said.

He explained that the pitch competition provides an opportunity for participants to present their business ideas and proposals before a panel of judges who assess their sustainability and growth potential.

According to him, the competition is being held across selected tertiary institutions, with the UBIDS event marking the second of five regional pitching sessions. The next competitions will take place at Cape Coast Technical University and Takoradi Technical University.

“At the end of the programme, four entrepreneurs from each centre will be selected, bringing the total to 20 finalists who will meet in Accra for the final pitching competition. The final selection will then be made and their businesses supported,” he stated.

Beyond financial support, Mr. Mahmoud noted that participants would receive internationally recognised certification through the programme’s partnership with the Catholic University of Milan in Italy and UBIDS.

Participants in the programme also praised the training for strengthening their business skills and improving the sustainability of their ventures.

The Executive Director of Smart Innovations Impact, Sumaila Shaibu Poleenaa, said the training had helped participants refine their Business Model Canvas, better understand market strategies, and assess the positive and negative impacts of their businesses on society and the environment.

“These lessons are helping us build sustainable businesses that can create jobs and generate impact in our communities,” the participant said.

Another entrepreneur encouraged graduates who are unemployed to take the first step towards starting their own businesses.

“It is easy to talk about starting a business, but you need to begin. Once you start, you can make progress. If your idea does not keep you thinking and working on it, then it may not be the right idea,” the entrepreneur advised.

Participants further highlighted the practical nature of the E4Impact training programme, describing it as a blend of theory and hands-on learning designed to help entrepreneurs succeed.

The ICIE programme is expected to continue nurturing a new generation of impact-driven entrepreneurs capable of creating jobs, addressing community challenges, and contributing to Ghana’s sustainable development agenda.