With entrepreneurship and digital innovation at its core, the 2025 National Youth Mentorship Summit and Awards brought together several aspiring leaders to explore how they can shape Ghana’s future economy.
The event organized by the Leadership Empowerment Club (LEC) and the Success Africa Foundation in partnership with MTN, the event was themed “Youthpreneur: Catalyst for a New Economy.”
The summit which took place on Saturday, July 12, aimed to equip participants with entrepreneurial knowledge, digital skills, and professional guidance, drawing students from the University of Ghana, GCTU, KNUST, UEW, UPSA, and Pentecost University. The gathering reinforced efforts to nurture the next generation of business leaders and innovators who will drive Ghana’s future economy.
Distinguished speakers and mentors shared valuable insights into the entrepreneurial space, including media personality and entrepreneur Janet Sunakwa-Mills, Lynx Entertainment CEO Richie Mensah, and Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, general manager at EIB Network.
A key highlight of the summit was the MTN Ghana Foundation’s Skills Academy, an initiative designed to close the digital skills gap among African youth. During his address, Ebenezer Terkper, education portfolio advisor at the MTN Ghana Foundation, outlined MTN’s transformation from a telecommunications provider to a fully tech-driven company.
”MTN has transitioned from a telco company that just provides SMS and calling services to a fully technology company. There are certain skills that we need going forward, and if we don’t want to bring in people from Singapore or the U.S. to take those jobs, then we need to be empowered locally.”
He emphasized that the company’s internal investments in skills development have helped reduce reliance on foreign expertise.
”We want you, the young people in our universities, to be ready for this changing world of work. It’s not just about graduating with a first-class degree in accounting or sociology. Without digital skills, you won’t fit into companies like MTN or other tech-driven organizations.”
The summit concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding student participants for their leadership, innovation, and engagement. Several students received airtime and souvenirs from MTN Ghana, while the top awardee received a laptop to support their academic and entrepreneurial goals.
The 2025 National Youth Mentorship Summit and Awards was hailed as a resounding success, empowering students with actionable insights and resources to pursue their entrepreneurial paths. By connecting emerging talents with experienced professionals, the summit laid the foundation for a more dynamic and youth-driven economy in Ghana.
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Story by Deborah Owusu|univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Michelle Lartey
National Youth Mentorship Summit and Awards champions digital skills and entrepreneurship
