Mastercard Foundation — funds initiatives addressing youth employment, education, and entrepreneurship in Ghana and Africa.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Business & Financial Times
… In his opening remarks, Paul Kasanga, Country Director of Mastercard Foundation highlighted the partnership between KIC and the Mastercard Foundation under the Initiative for Youth in Agricultural Transformation (IYAT) Program that is creating dignified and fulfilling work for yo …
Kosmos Innovation Center marks 10 years of impacting young people through job creationJoy Online
… Its portfolio includes collaborations with 15 international universities, the World Bank, IFAD, national and international financial institutions, Mastercard Foundation, USAID, GIZ, UNDP, ECOWAS, NEPAD, and several embassies and development partners. …
Daniel Acquaye leads Agri-Impact Delegation to Ghana-UK Investment Summit in LondonJoy Online
… Organized by the Africa Health Collaborative in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the festival reflects growing recognition that young innovators are central to shaping the future of healthcare across the continent. …
Health Innovation Festival 2026 to convene Africa’s next generation of health innovators in GhanaBusiness & Financial Times
… The ‘Associates Programme Touting the transformative intervention of the ‘Associates Programme,’ an initiative designed by the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with Jobberman, targeted at supporting young professionals aged 18 to 34 in accessing job opportunities and advancin …
Without enough jobs Africa could become global criminal force by 2030 -Expert warnsJoy Online
… She further noted that the Authority has in recent times, expanded collaboration with organisations such as the Mastercard Foundation, selected banks, and other partners aimed at improving service delivery and enhancing opportunities for national service personnel across the coun …
National Service Authority open to strategic partnerships – Ruth Dela SeddohBusiness & Financial Times
… Private sector interventions, including programmes like the Absa SME Loan at 10% per annum, a partnership between Absa Bank Ghana and the Mastercard Foundation, that pair concessional lending with business development support, further demonstrate how aligning capital with capabil …
Youth education, skills development, and mentorship are imperative for nation’s economic futureBusiness & Financial Times
… She explained further that the bank, together with its partner the Mastercard Foundation, has been implementing financing programmes – Building Resilience and Investing in the Development and Growth of Entrepreneurs in Agriculture (BRIDGE) – for agribusiness players at a single-d …
Access Bank lays out GH₵1bn for cocoa productionBusiness & Financial Times
… The Nkabom initiative is a collaborative effort of the Mastercard Foundation, the University of Ghana, McGill University in Canada and other local partner institutions. …
Nkabom targets 55,000 agri-food jobs in 10 yearsJoy Online
… To further advance agriculture through the Mastercard Foundation, the Bank has disbursed loans to agribusinesses at a single-digit rate (4 per cent). …
Access Bank Ghana budgets GH¢1bn for cocoa purchases in 2025Joy Online
… Over the years, Professor Agyare has secured more than $11 million in international research funding from organisations such as the German Research Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service, the Mastercard Foundation and the World Bank, helping to expand research capacity …
KNUST appoints Prof Christian Agyare as next Vice-ChancellorMs. Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), delivered opening and closing remarks and presented awards at the 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards Gala in Athens, Greece, which featured submissions from about 50 countries.
30 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Ms. Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), delivered opening and closing remarks and presented awards at the 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards Gala in Athens, Greece, which featured submissions from about 50 countries.
30 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Advans Ghana's client base grew from 75,184 in 2021 to 159,693 in 2026, with 58% of clients being women. The institution operates 21 branches across nine regions and has disbursed over 250,000 loans worth more than GHS4.5 billion since inception.
29 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Leaders from Africa's higher education institutions, governments, financial institutions, and industry gathered in Accra for the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening hosted by the Mastercard Foundation to explore how to make higher education more relevant and impactful for Africa's young people and economic development.
25 September 2026 · Daily Guide →
WERise Network has announced its 2026 Annual Programme running from 28 September to 4 October 2026, designed to celebrate women entrepreneurs' achievements, strengthen business capacity, and create market opportunities for women-owned enterprises. The week-long programme, themed "Rise & Scale: Celebrating Growth, Building Revenue and Creating Jobs," will include a general meeting, regional forums, exhibitions, and masterclasses for SMEs to access knowledge, tools, and connections for sustainable growth.
24 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has challenged Ghanaian universities to refocus academic programmes on skills needed in the country's job market to address graduate unemployment, citing a growing disconnect between university training and available opportunities. He specifically urged KNUST to focus on science, engineering and mathematics education, noting that Ghana has more than 450,000 tertiary graduates entering the labour market annually.
22 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Fidelity Bank has called for Ghana to shift its agricultural financing and structure to capture more value from what it already produces, rather than simply producing more. The bank argues that agricultural sovereignty lies in controlling more of the value created by Ghanaian agriculture and retaining more income within the economy, highlighting that cocoa paste generated approximately US$789 million in 2025 while non-traditional agricultural exports generated approximately US$710 million over the same period.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The 2026 Kosmos Innovation Centre AgriTech Challenge Pro has reached a milestone with participating teams conducting their first pitch. The programme, supported by the Mastercard Foundation through the Initiative for Youth in Agricultural Transformation, aims to help young entrepreneurs develop innovative solutions addressing Ghana's agricultural and food value chains, with a focus on product development and job creation.
31 August 2026 · Joy Online →
EduSpots has gathered community educators and teachers from 50 communities across Ghana and Kenya for a specialist education academy in Akumadan, focused on strengthening inclusive, collaborative and imaginative approaches to teaching and learning. The academy marks the beginning of preparations for the relaunch of EduSpots' learner club programme in September, which will engage more than 3,000 learners annually.
29 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Young people make up roughly 38% of Ghana's population and Ghana needs to create about 300,000 new jobs annually to meet demand. Skills gaps, limited capital access, weak market linkages and high borrowing costs prevent many young Ghanaians from converting entrepreneurial ideas into viable businesses.
24 August 2026 · Daily Guide →
Youth development advocates say young Ghanaians require greater access to markets, leadership opportunities and meaningful platforms to apply their skills and create jobs. The comments come as Ghana marks International Youth Day 2026 under the theme "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations," which recognises that despite diverse backgrounds, young people share common aspirations for quality education, meaningful work and entrepreneurship.
21 August 2026 · Joy Online →
EduSpots launched a nine-month Digital Champions Programme to equip and certify 60 community-based changemakers to become digital champions, lead digital learning, and strengthen digital inclusion in underserved communities in Ghana.
21 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's youth comprise roughly 38% of its population and the country needs to create about 300,000 new jobs yearly, but young people face barriers including skills gaps, limited access to affordable capital, and weak market linkages that prevent them from turning ideas into viable businesses.
21 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Students of the Design and Technology Institute showcased innovative projects at their 2026 Capstone Projects Exhibition in Accra on August 14, featuring robotics, smart assistive technology, upcycled fashion, affordable housing models, and other solutions addressing real-world challenges under the theme "Creative Minds, Sustainable Solutions."
18 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Association of Small-Scale Industries and Ghana Enterprises Agency have organised an executive mentorship and coaching training programme for trade association executives across 33 municipal and districts in the Eastern Region. The initiative is part of the Business in a Box Project, which aims to strengthen industry capacity, equip youth with vocational and business skills, and support business development.
18 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Design and Technology Institute has graduated over 1,500 Master Craft Persons and SME owners from its Precision Quality training programme, aimed at formalising and improving competitiveness in Ghana's informal sector. The initiative, developed with the Mastercard Foundation, equips artisans and entrepreneurs with technical, business, and management skills including workplace safety, customer service, and digital tools.
13 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Junior Football Camp's third WELL GIRLS mentorship session featured Commissioner of Police Lydia Donkor, who encouraged participants to embrace change and pursue their ambitions, selecting four girls aspiring to join the Ghana Police Service as her mentees in a structured leadership initiative.
7 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A national study presented in Accra on 28 July 2026 found widespread sexual harassment and discrimination against young women in Ghana's creative sector. The Behind the Scenes project, led by researchers at the University of Cape Coast with support from the International Center for Research on Women and the Mastercard Foundation, called for safer workplaces and stronger gender equity measures.
4 August 2026 · Joy Online →
FAWE Ghana, with Mastercard Foundation support, has introduced a Bridging/Remedial Learning Programme offering conditional tertiary admission to students who obtained a D7 in one core WASSCE subject, allowing them to take structured remedial classes and rewrite the deficient subject.
4 August 2026 · The Chronicle →
The CEO of Ghana's Gold Board has called on Africans living abroad to move beyond remittances and become investors and entrepreneurs to drive Africa's economic transformation. He argued that Africa's rise must create African industries, jobs, and wealth rather than enriching foreign economies while African youth remain unemployed.
3 August 2026 · The Chronicle →
Professor Christian Agyare has officially become KNUST's 13th Vice-Chancellor, succeeding Professor Rita Akosua Dickson. An accomplished pharmaceutical microbiology researcher with over two decades of academic experience, he was previously Provost of KNUST's College of Health Sciences.
2 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Five hundred and twenty-six young people graduated from the Precision Quality Internship Programme in the Volta Region, a six-month initiative offering training in business skills, welding, hospitality, and fashion design to improve employability and entrepreneurship. The programme, jointly implemented by Precision Quality, the Design and Technology Institute, and Ho Technical University with Mastercard Foundation support, targeted young people aged 18–35 from multiple towns across Volta and Oti regions.
1 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Sammy Gyamfi, CEO of the Ghana Gold Board, has called on African governments, businesses and the global diaspora to invest more in the continent's youth population, warning that Africa's demographic advantage could become a crisis without adequate opportunities. Citing the Mastercard Foundation's Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026, Gyamfi noted that Africa is home to about 532 million young people aged 15 to 35, and stressed that harnessing their potential is critical to the continent's future.
31 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has been named an inaugural winner of the Africa Higher Education for Transformation Prize, receiving US$3 million from the Mastercard Foundation for excellence in research and innovation. The award will support expansion of KNUST's research-to-innovation pipeline, incubation and entrepreneurship programmes, and industry partnerships to create economic opportunities for young people.
23 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
KNUST has been selected as one of five African universities to receive a $3 million Mastercard Foundation prize for driving higher education transformation. The award recognises the university's excellence in research and innovation, particularly its platforms like the Kumasi Business Incubator and Innovation Centre for converting research into startups and industry solutions.
23 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Coalition for Positive Impact has launched the eighth Igniting Dreams Summit in Wa with a new partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to address youth unemployment and entrepreneurship in Northern Ghana. A business pitch competition offered 20 fellows up to GH¢100,000 in seed funding, with organisers citing youth unemployment at 25.7 per cent across the five northern regions.
18 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The proposed Poultry Master Plan will provide a long-term roadmap to make Ghana self-sufficient in poultry production through a phased and coordinated approach, according to Dr Dan Acquaye, CEO of Agri-Impact Limited. Achieving self-sufficiency requires sustained investment across the entire value chain, including expanding maize and soya production, improving infrastructure, and strengthening processing capacity.
17 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A proposed Poultry Master Plan aims to provide a long-term roadmap for Ghana to achieve self-sufficiency in poultry production through phased, coordinated investment across the value chain. Dr Dan Acquaye, CEO of Agri-Impact Limited, says self-sufficiency cannot be achieved in a few years and requires expansion of maize and soya production, infrastructure improvements, and better farming practices alongside increased bird production.
17 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana consumes an estimated 452,100 tonnes of chicken yearly but produces only about 60,000 tonnes domestically, meaning roughly 87% of consumed chicken is imported. Joy Business and the Super Morning Show will host a high-level roundtable to examine whether Ghana can close the gap and achieve poultry self-sufficiency.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Joy Business and the Super Morning Show will host a roundtable discussion on Ghana's poultry industry, examining why Ghana imports roughly 87% of the chicken it consumes despite decades of policy interventions, and whether the country can close the gap between its estimated annual consumption of 452,100 tonnes and domestic production of about 60,000 tonnes.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Joy Business and the Super Morning Show will host a high-level roundtable on Thursday examining whether Ghana can achieve poultry self-sufficiency. Ghana consumes an estimated 452,100 tonnes of chicken a year but produces only about 60,000 tonnes domestically, with roughly 87% of consumption met through imports.
15 July 2026 · Joy Online →