Mr Seth Twum-Akwaboah, the CEO of the Association of Ghana Industries, participated in a distinguished panel discussion at the African Prosperity Dialogue during the KPMG knowledge-sharing forum at the Accra International Conference Centre held early today.
The event, organised by the African Prosperity Network, brought together over 1,000 stakeholders, including leaders from the private and public sectors, academia, policymakers, the youth and women to discuss the scaling up of SMEs.
The session, titled “Scaling Up Your SME for Cross-Border Business in Africa’s Single Market,” was aimed at fostering insightful discussions and practical recommendations which align closely with the broader conference theme, “Empowering SMEs, Women and Youth in Africa’s Single Market: Innovate. Collaborate. Trade.”
Among the key speakers were other notable panellists, including Dr Nana Kwasi Amoako, Business-to-Business Sales Director for West Africa at Kasapreko PLC; Mr Osei Owusu-Ansah Jnr., Associate Director, Strategy and Operations; Mr Elvis Eben, Head of Product Development and Innovation (PAPSS); Dr Kobbina Awuah, Board Chairman of Oya Group; and Mr Isaac Kwei, Head of the SME Unit, Ecobank Ghana, with the session moderated by Anne Bernadette Aidoo-Forson, Manager, Strategy and Operations.
Speaking on the panel, the CEO of AGI emphasised that successful cross-border expansion for SMEs requires strong internal capacity and a supportive business environment. He noted that governance, record-keeping, consistency in supply, quality assurance and the ability to meet regulatory standards are critical for firms seeking to enter Africa’s single market.
Mr Twum-Akwaboah further advised SMEs not to overpromise but grow gradually, build trustworthy partnerships, and strengthen their operational structures to meet market demand. He highlighted the importance of networking and belonging to business associations, stressing that while external factors may be unpredictable, resilient internal systems and collective advocacy can help SMEs scale sustainably across borders.
