Young entrepreneurs and technology enthusiasts have been challenged to turn their ideas into sustainable businesses as the fourth Ghana Youth Tech Summit brought together innovators, industry players and development partners in Accra.
The summit, organised by Nova Impact Africa at the Cedi Conference Centre of the University of Ghana, Legon, on November 7, 2026, provided a platform for participants to explore emerging technologies, develop practical skills, access business opportunities and establish networks.
Held under the theme, “Building What’s Next: Youth Driving Innovation & Inclusive Growth”, the event featured keynote addresses, panel discussions, practical masterclasses, a career hub and a venture pitch competition.
Executive Director of Nova Impact Africa, Celestina Aidoo, said the summit was designed to go beyond conversations about technology by equipping participants with practical knowledge and connecting aspiring entrepreneurs to the support needed to develop their ideas.
She said the organisation’s Nova Venture initiative provided an avenue for young entrepreneurs to receive guidance and funding opportunities.
This year’s programme attracted 16 aspiring entrepreneurs who underwent three weeks of accelerated training before participating in a preliminary pitching exercise, from which three finalists were selected to present their business ideas at the summit.
“The goal is to support young entrepreneurs to better shape the idea and the innovations that they have, and support with the requisite mentorship and funding that they need,” Ms. Aidoo said.
She added that two masterclasses were organised to equip participants with practical skills they could apply beyond the event.
The summit was sponsored by Expertise France through the Ghana Green, Digital and Inclusive Private Sector Development Programme (GDI-PSD), co-financed by the European Union in Ghana and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
The summit also featured the participation of Expertise France through the European Union-funded Green Digital Inclusion for Private Sector Development (GDI-PSD) programme.
Deputy Project Manager of GDI-PSD, Ammishaddai Ofori, said the partnership was intended to strengthen the summit and increase participation, particularly among young people from Kumasi and Tamale.
He said the organisers facilitated the transportation of 100 young people from the two cities to participate in the event.
Mr. Ofori explained that the programme targeted young micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) seeking to adopt environmentally sustainable practices and digital technologies.
He said Expertise France supported dedicated masterclasses and resource persons as part of efforts to strengthen participants’ entrepreneurial capabilities.
Beyond the summit, he said the project was working to expose Ghanaian startups to international opportunities, citing a recent initiative that took 15 entrepreneurs to the Moonshot Festival in Lagos, Nigeria.
Founder of the Bako Ambianda Foundation, Bako Ambianda, who served as a key speaker and partner, urged participants to focus on developing solutions to practical problems rather than pursuing technology for its own sake.
He identified agriculture, healthcare, education, financial services and manufacturing as sectors offering opportunities for innovation.
“The next generation of successful African companies will emerge from entrepreneurs who understand these problems and deal with practical, scalable solutions around them,” he said.
Mr. Ambianda, who is also a philanthropist, emphasised the importance of talent development, business execution, financial discipline and strategic partnerships in building sustainable enterprises.
He also challenged young people to build businesses capable of surviving beyond their founders, while encouraging established entrepreneurs and investors to create opportunities for the next generation.
Director of Operations at Nova Impact Africa, Festus Harlley, said the summit was established to address the gap between the availability of young technology talent and access to platforms where such talent could be developed and connected to opportunities.
He said the fourth edition introduced an expanded career hub, which brought together approximately five organisations offering employment, internship and fellowship opportunities, compared with one participating organisation in the previous year.
Mr. Harlley said Nova Impact Africa also relied on community research to identify skills gaps and ensure its programmes responded to changing labour market demands.
He disclosed that the organisation had a vision of training at least one million young people in technology-related skills by 2030.
However, he identified funding and human resource constraints as challenges to achieving the target, appealing for stronger government and institutional partnerships.
The organisation’s Lead for Sponsorship and Partnerships, Obed Yaosey, said the three finalists in the venture pitch competition were competing for a cash prize of 5,000, alongside potential mentorship opportunities.
He explained that the Bako Ambianda Foundation had partnered with Nova Impact Africa to offer eligible participants a fully funded three-month mentorship programme in Cameroon.
The opportunity would be determined by the foundation’s selection criteria and could include any of the three finalists.
Mr. Yaosey said the support formed part of efforts to provide emerging entrepreneurs with opportunities beyond the competition itself.
