At the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) in Accra on February 4, 2026, Vice President H.E. Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyemang delivered a clarion call for the empowerment of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), women, and young people, positioning them as the driving force behind Africa’s economic transformation.
Speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang emphasized that the continent’s future prosperity hinges on shifting away from dependency and fragmented economies toward self-reliance and a unified market.
Addressing delegates, she highlighted the critical role of advocacy platforms like the APD in complementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra. These platforms, she noted, foster intra-African trade, investment, and mobility, and are essential for promoting integration and shared growth.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang referenced President Mahama’s recent United Nations address, reiterating that Africa must take charge of its destiny. She stressed that any development excluding youth, women, or small businesses is fundamentally unsustainable, a conviction at the heart of the government’s ‘Reset Agenda.’
Drawing on Ghana’s rich history of Pan-African engagement, she cited initiatives like the Pan-African Festival of Arts and Culture, the Year of Return, and the Diaspora Summit, as well as renewed commitments at the Second AU–CARICOM Summit. These, she said, reflect Ghana’s dedication to bridging both historical and economic divides.
Describing the AfCFTA as a historic opportunity, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang pointed to its status as the world’s largest free trade area by number of countries, encompassing a combined market of 1.3 billion people. She underscored the pivotal role of SMEs, which account for roughly 80 percent of employment across Africa, and highlighted the significant contributions of women and youth, women comprising nearly half the workforce and young people over 60 percent of the population, fueling innovation in technology and creative industries.
However, she cautioned that fewer than 20 percent of African SMEs currently engage in export trade, and that women and young entrepreneurs face persistent barriers such as limited access to finance, skills, and markets. Without bold action, she warned, African economies risk remaining stuck in low-productivity cycles centered on raw material exports.
The Vice President noted that this year’s APD theme, “Empowering SMEs, Women, and Youth in Africa’s Single Market,” highlights the pressing need to address these challenges. She called for sustained investment in infrastructure, innovation, and strong institutions, alongside coordinated industrial strategies, to unlock Africa’s economic potential.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang spotlighted Ghana’s ongoing initiatives, including the 24-Hour Economy and the Big Push infrastructure programme, designed to boost productivity, support trade, and foster regional integration within ECOWAS and the African Union.
Concluding her address, she urged African leaders to view borders as instruments for organizing sovereignty in support of shared prosperity, and challenged all participants to ensure that the commitments forged at the dialogue translate into real, concrete outcomes for the continent.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
