Sankofa Innovation Summit convenes women-led SMEs to spur business growth

The Sankofa Innovation Summit, convened by Duafe Organisation in collaboration with SB Incubator, successfully brought together women-led small and medium-sized enterprises, industry leaders, founders, and ecosystem builders for a full day of practical learning, strategic dialogue, and meaningful connection.

Held at the Stanbic Incubator, Silver Star Tower, Airport City, the Summit was designed as a working space rather than a motivational forum. The focus was on helping women entrepreneurs move beyond inspiration and engage deeply with the systems, structures, and decisions required to build resilient, scalable businesses.

The Summit was convened by Baaba Berima-Kwao, Executive Director of Duafe, whose opening remarks set the tone for the day. She emphasised the importance of intentional growth, institutional access, and community as critical pillars for women navigating entrepreneurship in complex operating environments.

A keynote was led by Antoinette Essilfie Esq., a technology, AI, and privacy lawyer and business advisor. Her session focused on building future-proof business systems that go beyond surface-level digital tools. Drawing attention to AI readiness, data responsibility, and governance, she challenged participants to think critically about how their businesses are structured for long-term sustainability in an increasingly automated and technology-driven economy.

This was followed by a highly practical session facilitated by Jessica Naa Adjeley Konney, who broke down how entrepreneurs can use social media as a strategic business tool rather than background noise. Her session focused on moving from visibility to intentional strategy, helping participants align content, audience, and conversion in ways that drive real business results.

A major highlight of the Summit was the Ecosystem Gatekeepers Panel, featuring Gloria Bempong, Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic Bank Ghana; Pearlyn Budu, Head of Partnerships at Kola Market and former Country Manager at Glovo and Jumia Food; and Georgia Ansah, Programmes Manager at NOVA Business School Africa.

The panel explored what institutional support means for both budding and scaling small businesses, spanning access to finance, operational and supply chain systems, and educational and professional development institutions. Discussions also addressed investment readiness from these perspectives, highlighting the roles financial institutions, ecosystem enablers, and strategic partners play in supporting women-led SMEs to scale sustainably. Panelists shared practical insights on how entrepreneurs can better position themselves to engage banks, support organisations, and long-term partners.

The Founders Panel featured Alima Bello, Founder and Creative Director of Alima Bello (formerly Bello | Edu); Eno Quagraine, Director of Talkative Mom LLC and Petite Elise Preschool; and Lady Serwaa Duku, Owner of the ChopShop food chain.

The conversation offered candid, experience-led insights into the realities of building and scaling businesses as women. Panelists spoke openly about early funding decisions, mistakes made in the formative stages of their businesses, and lessons they wished they had known sooner. The discussion also addressed the nuanced challenges women entrepreneurs face, from credibility and capacity constraints to balancing personal and professional demands. A strong emphasis was placed on maintaining standards, building robust systems, and committing to operational discipline as critical foundations for growth, particularly for entrepreneurs seeking to build scalable, border-breaking brands.

The Sankofa Innovation Summit was supported by partners including Stanbic Bank Ghana Ltd, Yango, Brutal Fruit Spritzer, Kola Market, and NOVA Business School Africa. Media coverage and content production were supported by 3News, MG Digital, Kairos House Studios, Jabari Vision, and NXET Creators.

Participants described the Summit as practical, grounded, and timely, highlighting the value of direct access to ecosystem leaders, actionable insights, and peer connection.

Speaking after the event, Baaba Berima-Kwao noted that the Summit forms part of a broader commitment to building sustained platforms for women’s growth and leadership. She described Duafe as a women-focused social enterprise advancing conversations and action around women, work, and wealth in today’s Africa. Through convenings, capacity-building programmes, and ecosystem partnerships, Duafe creates intentional spaces that equip women to build sustainable careers, businesses, and leadership pathways across corporate, entrepreneurial, and creative sectors.

She highlighted upcoming initiatives including the Level Up Conference, Duafe’s annual International Women’s Day convening designed to ground the working woman with intention, motivation, and inspiration from leading women shaping Ghana’s corporate, entrepreneurial, and creative spaces. She also announced the continuation of Duafe Dialogues, a monthly spotlight series focused on specific subject areas, where a subject matter expert is invited to lead focused conversations, clarify complex topics, and respond directly to questions from women across business and professional spaces.

The Sankofa Innovation Summit marks a significant step in strengthening Ghana’s women-led SME ecosystem and reinforces the importance of structure, institutional access, and community in enabling long-term business growth.

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