DTI Graduates 1,593 MCPs and SMEs in Ghana: 7 Key Impacts

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DTI Graduates 1,593 Master Craft Persons and SMEs to Drive Informal Sector Transformation

The Design and Technology Institute (DTI), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has graduated and certified 1,593 Master Craft Persons (MCPs) and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) owners under its Precision Quality™ programme.

The initiative is aimed at improving productivity, promoting formalisation and creating better pathways to dignified work within Ghana’s informal economy.

The graduates comprised 1,307 women, representing 82 percent, and 286 men, representing 18 percent. The group also included 68 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

The graduation ceremony was held in Accra under the theme, “Formalising the Informal Sector: Honouring Excellence in Skills, Enterprise and Transformation.”

DTI Links Skills Training to Business Formalisation

The Precision Quality™ programme goes beyond technical skills by connecting training with business formalisation, quality standards, financial inclusion, enterprise development, apprenticeship and market access.

Participants received training in areas including entrepreneurship, business management, workplace safety, customer relations, digital literacy and financial management.

All 1,593 graduates received Precision Quality™ certification, alongside support for business registration with the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC), bank account opening and connections to relevant trade associations and industry networks.

DTI Graduates 1,593 MCPs and SMEs in Ghana: 7 Key Impacts Nukunya

The programme also links participating businesses to services from institutions including Fidelity Bank, MTN Mobile Money and the Food and Drugs Authority.

According to DTI, the approach is designed to help informal enterprises become more productive, visible, bankable and compliant while connecting them to wider economic opportunities.

4,760 MCPs and SMEs Expected to Graduate in 2026

The Accra ceremony is the first of three planned graduations under the programme.

A further 528 participants are expected to graduate in Ho on August 19, while 2,639 participants are expected to graduate in Kumasi on August 26.

This will bring the total number of Master Craft Persons and SME owners graduating across Accra, Ho and Kumasi to 4,760 in 2026.

The programme also seeks to strengthen Ghana’s apprenticeship system because many of the participating master craft persons have apprentices or young workers attached to their businesses.

241 Businesses Receive Scale-Up Support

As part of the initiative, 241 outstanding MCPs and SMEs were selected to receive Business Scale-up and Apprenticeship Support Kits valued at US$250 each.

The total value of the support is US$60,250.

Selection was based on factors including attendance, business growth potential, entrepreneurial ability, willingness to engage at least three apprentices, ease of post-training monitoring and commitment to inclusive hiring.

Of the 241 beneficiaries, 41 are Persons with Disabilities.

The supported businesses operate across sectors including fashion and garment production, hairdressing and beauty, catering and food, electricals and electronics, welding and fabrication, printing and ICT.

The support is intended not only to strengthen individual businesses but also to increase their ability to take on apprentices and create employment opportunities.

DTI Founder Highlights Importance of Formalisation

Speaking at the ceremony, DTI Founder and President Constance Elizabeth Swaniker said the graduation represented more than the presentation of certificates.

She said formalisation could help businesses become more visible and trusted while improving their ability to access finance, compete for contracts and create jobs.

Drawing from her own experience as a former carpentry apprentice, Swaniker also stressed the importance of combining technical skills with proper business structures, documentation and standards.

The ceremony also saw the launch of the PQ MCPs and SMEs Alumni Association, which will provide graduates with opportunities for networking, mentorship, peer learning and continued engagement.

The initiative forms part of DTI and the Mastercard Foundation’s broader efforts to strengthen skills development, enterprise growth and formalisation while creating more opportunities for young people, particularly young women, to participate in Ghana’s economy.