NEIP Business support programme launched

National Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan (NEIP) has opened its first call of proposal from prospective applicants or businesses to enter application for its flagship programme dubbed “Business Support Programme”.

The programme seeks to bring various actors to create enabling environment for start-ups and small business to thrive in Ghana.

All applicants are to complete a detailed online application form at www.neip.gov.gh from today, November 2 to December 3, 2017.

The application could be submitted online or printable form which could be scanned and submitted via enquiries@neip.gov.gh.

Mr John Kumah, Chief Executive Officer of NEIP, who disclosed this at a media launch of the programme and National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Week celebrations scheduled from November 20 to November 24, 2017, said the forms are free of charge.

He said they were expecting 2000 applicants to apply but the number will be further screened down to about 500 for the second phase of the programme and urged all eligible Ghanaians with extremely good business ideas to enter into the programme.

He said all those who would enter into the competition, either they are picked or not would have the chance to be trained.

NEIP is a policy initiative of the government of Ghana to provide an integrated national support for start-ups and small businesses, focusing on the provision of business development services, business incubators, and funding for youth-owned businesses.

It is set up within the context of Ghana’s long-term strategic vision of consolidating into middle-income status, building an industry-driven economy capable of providing decent jobs that are suitable for development.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched NEIP in July this year with a seed capital of 10 million dollars, which is expected to be scaled up to 100 million dollars through the private Sector Implementation Partner (PSIP).

Mr Kumah said the African SME organisation (ASME), after a competitive tender process, emerged that favourite PSIP, which has been working with NEIP to build a strong support for the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Ghana.

He said NEIP exist not only to provide funding for businesses, but “we are also the enablers for their entrepreneurship ecosystem in Ghana.

Mr Yaw Asamoah, Executive Director of ASME, said the Organisation came on board as PSIP for NEIP with a lot of experiences in the SME, entrepreneurship and innovation space after having three successive and successful summits over the past three years.

He said over the years, ASME had over 5000 businesses both local and foreign taking part in their programmes and initiatives, over 1500 match making activities and more than six million media tractions, among others.

He said their approach to entrepreneurship and innovation was by building a solid business ecosystem, which was viable and could feed itself.

Mr Asamoah said his Organisation intends rolling out several programmes and projects to make transacting business in Ghana easier by setting up co-working, incubation and accelerated spaces across the country.

He said the Organisation’s target of raising a counterpart funding of 100 million dollars through grant, sponsorships, donations, debt, equity or any other instrument is achievable, and “we hope that with a strong media backing we can exceed same, while creating new opportunities for Ghanaians”.