Organization supporting workforce development and youth employment in Africa, partnering on initiatives including agricultural, health innovation, and financial inclusion programs in Ghana.
A representative of the Mastercard Foundation has challenged the 130 graduates of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Ghana’s Class of 2026 to view their graduation not as the end of their academic journey, but as the beginning of a lifelong commitment to solvi …
… He said approximately 60% of previous MasterCard Foundation Scholars at AIMS Ghana have transitioned into industry, with 20% pursuing academic and research internships and 11% proceeding to postgraduate studies at universities worldwide. …
… The three-day convening, co-hosted by Ashesi University and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with support from the Mastercard Foundation, was designed to bridge the gap between the ambitions of emerging health entrepreneurs and access to knowledge, netwo …
… Lead optometrist and project manager for the outreach, Dr Christian Ntsiful Anderson, also a Mastercard Foundation scholar at the University of Toronto, said the camp was structured around mass screening, early detection, and referral systems aimed at preventing avoidable blindne …
… The assembly has also partnered with UNESCO, the Mastercard Foundation, and the Kofi Annan ICT Centre to provide skills training for young people, especially girls. …
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Nutrition and Sustainable Agri-food Collaborative, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation (Nkabom Collaborative), has organised a special business pitching session for participants of its Multi-purpose Integrat …
… The HAPPY Programme, a four-year partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited, is being implemented by an eight-member consortium, including Newage Agric Solutions Ltd., to create employment opportunities for young people, particularly women, in the rice, …
… The HAPPY Programme, a four-year partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited, implemented by an eight-member consortium including Newage Agric Solutions Ltd, is aimed at creating employment opportunities for young people—particularly women—across the ric …
… The bank has also initiated discussions for a strategic partnership with the Financial Institution Resilience and Strengthening (FIRST+ II) programme, a partnership between Mastercard Foundation and CapitalPlus Exchange. …
At AIMS Ghana's 14th graduation ceremony, the Mastercard Foundation's head of workforce development told 130 graduates—35 of whom were Foundation scholars—to view their graduation as the start of a lifelong commitment to solving Africa's challenges. The Foundation aims to enable 30 million young people, particularly women, to access dignified employment by 2030 through its Young Africa Works strategy.
At AIMS Ghana's 14th graduation ceremony, the Mastercard Foundation's head of workforce development told 130 graduates—35 of whom were Foundation scholars—to view their graduation as the start of a lifelong commitment to solving Africa's challenges. The Foundation aims to enable 30 million young people, particularly women, to access dignified employment by 2030 through its Young Africa Works strategy.
The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Ghana held its 14th graduation ceremony on 27 June 2026, conferring Master of Science degrees in Mathematical Sciences to 130 students — its largest graduating class — drawn from 24 African countries. The cohort comprised 49 graduates from the regular MSc programme and 81 from the Master of Mathematical Sciences for Teachers programme, with 30% female representation overall.
The Africa Health Collaborative Health Innovation Festival 2026 convened over 100 participants from nine countries in Accra to develop healthcare solutions for Africa. Seven ventures competed for prize money, with KAARAANGE's AI-powered biomedical waste management system and HerbIma's anaemia-combating supplement winning top prizes in their respective categories.
The Amahoro Coalition has selected 41 refugee and displaced entrepreneurs for its fourth fellowship cohort, with women making up 24 of the fellows (63%). The founders, from 15 countries across Africa and the Middle East, are building ventures in 16 African host countries across sectors including agriculture, education, technology, and health, with each fellow able to access up to US$160,000 in funding.
A four-day free eye care outreach in Bono Region screened 867 people but could not attend to over 500 others due to limited capacity, prompting calls for the National Health Insurance Scheme to extend coverage to prescription glasses and low-vision aids.
The Yilo Krobo Municipality has achieved significant infrastructure expansion and improvements in public service delivery within the first year of the NDC administration, according to the MCE. Key accomplishments include completion and commissioning of healthcare facilities, and the assembly's focus on healthcare, education, sanitation, roads, agriculture, and employment creation.
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Nutrition and Sustainable Agri-food Collaborative, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, organised a business pitching session for 32 participants who completed its one-year Multi-purpose Integrated Programme training in greenhouse vegetable production, agribusiness management, poultry production, and related areas.
More than 600 young women from Savelugu Municipality gathered for a pre-season durbar under the HAPPY Programme, a four-year partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited, to prepare for 2026 soybean and rice production and create employment opportunities in agricultural value chains. Participants received training on production planning, farm management, and agronomic best practices.
Over 600 young women farmers gathered in Savelugu on June 6, 2026, for a pre-season durbar under the HAPPY Programme, a four-year partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited aimed at creating employment opportunities across rice, soybean, tomato and poultry value chains. The event brought together traditional authorities, government agencies and the private sector to strengthen agricultural productivity and prepare farmers for the 2026 farming season.
Kintampo Community Bank Plc's total income grew 20.14 percent to GH¢35.31 million in 2025, while total assets surged 41.71 percent to GH¢185.73 million and profit before tax increased 35.13 percent to GH¢13.9 million, driven by expansion in loans, deposits, and investments.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu said the government is digitalising Ghana's education system with initiatives including the Basic STEM programme (launched August 2025) with coding and robotics, EdTech ventures reaching over 690,000 learners, and tablet deployment expanded to over 420 senior high schools within one year.
Implemented by Temple Investments and the Mastercard Foundation, FILMA is a four-year initiative (2024–2028) providing young women, youth, and persons with disabilities access to affordable credit, inclusive financial services, and market opportunities in rural Ghana.
Temple Investments' four-year FILMA initiative (2024–2028) has enrolled 77,868 last-mile actors—primarily young women, youth, and persons with disabilities—across 18 districts, more than doubling average monthly income from GH¢1,334 to GH¢2,793 while transitioning 44,476 youth into dignified work and raising financial product self-uptake from 3% to 38%.
Young women and men with disabilities have begun Core Life Skills training through the We Can Work Academy, which commenced on June 1, 2026, at three centres in Ashanti and Bono Regions. Over six weeks, participants will develop confidence, communication, and workplace readiness before moving into specialised pathways in employability, entrepreneurship, or technical skills.
KNUST, in partnership with the Africa Health Collaborative and Mastercard Foundation, hosted the maiden edition of FemSTEM Africa 2026, a two-day conference bringing together over 300 female students from STEM-focused Senior High Schools across Ashanti Region, university students, and emerging entrepreneurs. The initiative aims to nurture the next generation of women leaders in health innovation and entrepreneurship, addressing the underrepresentation of women among founders, innovators, and investors in the health sector.
Senior financial sector figures at The Money Summit 2026 agreed that Ghana has restored macroeconomic stability after a difficult adjustment period, with inflation falling to 3.4 percent and interest rates declining significantly, but warned that significant structural weaknesses continue to threaten the recovery's sustainability.
Access Bank Ghana conducted a five-day strategic visit to Kumasi in May 2026, reaffirming its commitment to expanding operations and supporting businesses. The bank recorded significant growth in 2025, including total assets of GH¢19.0 billion and a 36.7 per cent increase in its loan book to GH¢5.06 billion.
The Kosmos Innovation Center has marked a decade of work in youth entrepreneurship, innovation, and agricultural transformation in Ghana, impacting thousands of young people and communities. The organization launched its 10th Anniversary celebration under the theme "A Decade of Youth Impact, Innovation and Agricultural Transformation," bringing together government officials, development partners, and entrepreneurs to reflect on its journey.
Dr. Daniel Fahene Acquaye, CEO of Agri-Impact Limited and Chairman of the CSIR–Crop Research Institute, will lead a delegation to the Ghana-UK Investment Summit in London on 1–2 June 2026, where he will participate in a high-level panel on positioning Ghana as an agribusiness investment hub and meet with potential investors and development partners.
The Africa Health Collaborative will host the Health Innovation Festival (HIFest) 2026 in Accra from June 4–6, 2026, co-hosted by Ashesi University and KNUST. The festival will bring together over 100 participants from nine African countries and Canada, including 36 young health entrepreneurs, innovators, and students, alongside investors, mentors, and ecosystem leaders to foster collaboration and support locally driven health solutions.
An employment expert warns that if African economies fail to create jobs fast enough for the continent's growing youth population—projected to comprise over 40 percent of global youth by 2030—Africa risks becoming a breeding ground for organised crime and instability, as unemployment already pushes young people toward cybercrime and human trafficking.
The Director-General of the National Service Authority says the agency is open to strategic partnerships with public and private sector organisations to equip service personnel and graduates with practical skills and entrepreneurial capacity, particularly in agriculture. She noted the Authority has recently expanded collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, selected banks, and other partners.
Ghana faces a demographic challenge with over one-third of the population under 15 and a youth unemployment rate around 12.1 percent. Of nearly 360,000 secondary school graduates annually, only 35 percent advance to tertiary education, leaving over 240,000 young people unable to find jobs, highlighting a structural mismatch between academic training and market-ready skills.
Access Bank PLC in partnership with the International Finance Corporation has disbursed approximately GH₵1billion to support cocoa production and purchases as part of efforts to boost agricultural development and strengthen the country's export sector. The bank's Managing Director said the initiative began with an annual allocation of GH₵100million, grew to about GH₵900million last year, and now exceeds GH₵1billion with the IFC partnership.
The Nkabom Venture Quest Bootcamp aims to empower 3,000 Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana's agri-food ecosystem to create 55,000 jobs over 10 years. The initiative, a collaborative effort involving the Mastercard Foundation and the University of Ghana, targets youth-led businesses in a sector valued at US$10 billion and expected to reach US$13 billion in 5 years.
Access Bank Ghana, partnering with the International Finance Corporation, has set aside GH¢1 billion in 2025 to support cocoa-licensed buying companies and value chain actors. The bank also plans to extend support to other cash crops including cashew and shea, and has disbursed single-digit-rate loans to agribusinesses through the Mastercard Foundation.
The Governing Council of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has appointed Professor Christian Agyare as the next Vice-Chancellor, effective August 1, 2026, making him the 13th Vice-Chancellor since the university's establishment in 1951. He succeeds Prof Rita Akosua Dickson and brings more than 25 years of academic and administrative service at KNUST, where he currently serves as Provost of the College of Health Sciences.
Ghana faces a demographic challenge with over one-third of its population under 15 and youth unemployment around 12.1%; nearly 360,000 secondary school graduates complete their studies annually, but only 35% progress to tertiary education, leaving more than 240,000 young people entering a job market unable to absorb them. Education, vocational training, and mentorship are essential to bridge the gap between academic training and market-ready skills required by employers.
Ghana faces a demographic challenge with more than one third of the population under 15 and youth unemployment around 12.1 per cent; the country must improve education and skills training, as nearly 360,000 secondary school graduates complete their studies annually yet only 35 per cent progress to tertiary education, leaving over 240,000 young people unable to find jobs.
The Mayor of Tamale Metropolitan Assembly has announced plans covering infrastructure, agriculture, education, and youth employment as part of efforts to improve transparency and strengthen public participation in governance. The initiative is designed to enhance accountability, deepen citizen engagement, and enable residents to track government projects.