Nova Business School Champions SME Growth in Ghana
Nova Business School President says Mini MBA initiative with MTN and Absa will equip SMEs with the mindset, systems, and support needed for long-term growth
The President of Nova Business School Africa, Professor Mathew Tsamenyi, has restated the school’s commitment to transforming Ghanaian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through long-term, experiential interventions beyond the normal academic processes.
At the MTN Ghana-Absa Bank-Nova Business School SME Mini MBA launch, Professor Tsamenyi highlighted the need to provide SMEs with essential knowledge, concepts, and a positive mindset to drive growth and ensure sustainability.
We view SMEs as the engine of economic growth, yet we also understand the challenges they face,” he added. “That is why we designed a programme that is not just academic but transformational, capable of scaling them and building solid business foundations.”.
The Mini MBA program is the output of a co-creation process between Nova, MTN Ghana, and Absa Bank, and they share a common vision aimed at empowering SMEs, according to Professor Tsamenyi.
He emphasized that this partnership reflects an even higher objective of transforming SMEs from survival mode to competitive medium-to-large businesses that operate on a Pan-African or even global level.
“What makes this programme different is its practical, business-specific approach. It’s experiential and tailored to the real needs of the entrepreneurs. We’re not just offering training—we’re holding their hands beyond the classroom,” he noted.
The programme enrolled 50 SMEs, with MTN Ghana selecting 30 participants and Absa Bank selecting 20. The selection was based on agreed criteria developed by Nova Business School, in close partnership with the two institutions.
Professor Tsamenyi further stressed that while most SMEs will always cite finance as the biggest hindrance, having access to funding is only useful when it is followed by strong structures and proper attitudes.
“If you give money to a business and don’t also have the right structure, the right attitude, and the right governance, that money is wasted,” he went on. “That is why our programme starts with mindset change, building structures, and inculcating long-term thinking like succession planning.”
He revealed that the programme also includes advisory support from Nova’s Business Advisory Unit, as well as access to markets, networks, tax practitioners, legal experts, and potentially international exposure.
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“Beyond the training, our goal is to help SMEs grow into businesses that outlive their founders. We’re even exploring opportunities for participants to attend follow-up programmes in China with Alibaba,” Professor Tsamenyi added.
He concluded by promising SMEs that Nova Business School, MTN Ghana, and Absa Bank are devoted to the long term. “This is not just a project. It’s a movement to transform the landscape of Ghana’s business sector one SME at a time.”
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo
