The Ghana International Trade and Finance Conference (GITFiC) will on September 28, 2026, commence training for selected small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) under its AfCFTA SME Market Access initiative, in partnership with Access Bank.
The training forms part of GITFiC’s Agenda 2031 and will be implemented through the organisation’s Trade Integration and Promotion (TIP) Unit, a strategic initiative established to support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and facilitate tangible trade opportunities for businesses.
The TIP Unit will periodically train SMEs across districts in Ghana through the local governance structure, with the aim of preparing businesses to meet the requirements for accessing the AfCFTA market.
According to GITFiC, the programme will focus on equipping participating businesses with the knowledge and requirements needed to become market-ready, while creating pathways for selected enterprises to access markets both in Ghana and across the African continent.
The initiative will be overseen by a subcommittee headed by Mrs. Patience Arko-Boham of the Ministry of Finance, with representatives from the Food and Drugs Authority, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, Registrar General’s Department and Access Bank, which serves as the title partner.
Selected SMEs participating in the programme will, upon meeting the relevant requirements, receive structured support to access the continental market through GITFiC’s partnerships with Chambers of Commerce.
The initiative is also expected to create a two-way market-access platform, allowing SME products from other AfCFTA member states to enter the Ghanaian market through partnerships with their respective Chambers of Commerce.
GITFiC said the approach is intended to strengthen intra-African trade by connecting businesses to formal market opportunities while supporting the movement of quality products across the continent.
The TIP Unit is one of GITFiC’s AfCFTA Implementation Support Initiatives under Agenda 2031 and is being implemented by a National Technical Working Committee comprising representatives from key public institutions.
The committee currently includes representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, National Development Planning Commission, Parliament of Ghana, Bank of Ghana and the Information Services Department.
GITFiC said the SME programme forms part of its broader efforts to translate AfCFTA from a continental policy framework into practical opportunities for Ghanaian businesses, particularly SMEs seeking to expand their markets beyond Ghana.
Through the initiative, the organisation aims to strengthen the capacity of local enterprises, improve their preparedness for continental trade and establish structured channels through which businesses can participate in the expanding African market.
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