United Traders Forum Champions Women’s Enterprise

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The United Traders Forum, Kumasi has joined THE ABLE Summit 2026, strengthening efforts to position Asante women, particularly market traders, as influential participants in business development, cultural preservation and leadership.

The summit, organised by Bold Solutions Group at Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel, brought together business stakeholders and women traders from Kejetia Market to explore opportunities for enterprise growth and economic empowerment.The forum’s participation highlighted the importance of connecting women in the informal economy with business leaders, mentors, financial resources and potential customers.

The engagement also provided an opportunity to examine how market women could expand beyond traditional trading activities, strengthen their business operations and take advantage of emerging commercial opportunities.For the United Traders Forum, the summit represented an opportunity to build partnerships that could translate discussions about women’s empowerment into practical benefits for traders and entrepreneurs across Kumasi.

Its emphasis on networking, financial insights and market access reflected the growing recognition that women owned businesses require more than individual determination to achieve sustainable growth.

”It was more than a summit, it was a marketplace of opportunities. A platform to connect with business leaders, find new customers, gain financial insights, meet mentors, and explore new markets for growth.”

The participation of Kejetia market women placed the experiences and aspirations of grassroots entrepreneurs within a broader conversation about the future of women in business.

Kejetia Market, one of Kumasi’s major commercial centres, supports a wide network of traders, retailers, wholesalers and other participants in the trading economy. Women play a significant role in this commercial environment, supplying goods, serving customers and sustaining household incomes through their enterprises.

However, the ability to convert daily trading activities into long-term business growth depends on several factors, including access to affordable finance, reliable suppliers, wider markets, effective financial management and opportunities to develop business skills.

By bringing market women together with other stakeholders, THE ABLE Summit 2026 offered a platform for participants to explore connections that could help address some of these challenges.

For traders seeking to expand their customer base, networking can provide introductions to new buyers, suppliers and distributors. Engagement with experienced entrepreneurs can also expose participants to practical approaches to managing stock, controlling expenditure, improving customer relations and reinvesting profits.

The potential value of such engagements lies in whether the relationships established lead to lasting commercial partnerships and measurable improvements in business performance.

For the United Traders Forum, strengthening these connections could help its members identify opportunities beyond their immediate trading environment while building their capacity to compete in an increasingly interconnected marketplace.

Access to finance remains a significant consideration for women-led enterprises in Ghana, particularly businesses operating within the informal economy.According to the United Nations Capital Development Fund, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises account for approximately 92 per cent of businesses in Ghana, provide nearly 80 per cent of employment and contribute around 60 per cent of gross domestic product.Despite their economic importance, many small businesses, particularly those owned by women and young people, continue to encounter barriers to affordable financing, including high borrowing costs, collateral requirements and stringent lending conditions.

These constraints can limit the ability of market women to purchase goods in bulk, respond to changes in customer demand, improve storage facilities or open additional business locations.

”The summit brought together key stakeholders and our hardworking market women from Kejetia to discuss how Asante Women can lead future trends in culture, enterprise, and leadership.”

The financial management discussions associated with the summit’s objectives are particularly relevant to traders who depend on daily sales to maintain their businesses and meet household expenses.Maintaining accurate sales records, separating business capital from personal expenditure and developing realistic savings plans can help entrepreneurs understand their financial positions and prepare for expansion.Digital financial services and bookkeeping tools can also help small businesses organise transactions and establish records that may support applications for formal credit.In June 2026, the UNCDF and its partners highlighted digital financial solutions designed to improve access to finance and strengthen the productivity of women led and youth led enterprises in Ghana.

The initiative demonstrated the importance of developing financial services that respond to the circumstances of underserved businesses.For market women, however, access to finance must be accompanied by suitable repayment arrangements, transparent lending terms and the financial knowledge needed to use borrowed funds productively.The summit’s focus on financial insights therefore speaks to a broader business priority: ensuring that women traders can access the resources and knowledge necessary to sustain their enterprises.

Beyond financing and market access, THE ABLE Summit 2026 placed Asante women’s leadership and cultural influence within the wider discussion about enterprise development.

Women traders are not only participants in commercial activity. Through their businesses, they contribute to local supply chains, support employees and apprentices, sustain household livelihoods and maintain relationships between producers, distributors and consumers.

Their commercial experience also provides a foundation for leadership within trader associations, business networks and community organisations.

Creating opportunities for women to exchange experiences, learn from mentors and engage with business leaders can help strengthen their confidence in making strategic decisions and pursuing larger commercial ambitions.

“Together, We Are Building Stronger Businesses And a Stronger Kumasi,’’ for the United Traders Forum, Kumasi, the challenge following the summit is to turn these connections into practical outcomes for its members.Potential areas for continued engagement include business development training, financial literacy programmes, mentorship arrangements, supplier partnerships and initiatives that connect traders to new customers.Such efforts could also encourage women to explore digital marketing and electronic payment systems, helping them reach customers beyond their immediate locations and maintain more organised business records.The Ghana Enterprises Agency has identified access to finance, markets and business development services as important components of support for entrepreneurs.

Its programmes also seek to strengthen the capacity of businesses through skills development and improved access to opportunities.These priorities reinforce the importance of linking networking events to sustained support for women owned enterprises.The participation of the United Traders Forum in THE ABLE Summit 2026 highlights the potential of collaboration between grassroots business organisations and wider enterprise network.

As Kumasi continues to serve as an important commercial centre in Ghana, supporting women traders to improve productivity, strengthen financial management and access new markets could contribute to more resilient businesses and broader local economic activity.The long-term significance of the summit will ultimately depend on the partnerships formed, the opportunities made accessible and the practical support that reaches participating traders.For the women of Kejetia and the wider trading community, the objective is clear: to build enterprises that can grow beyond daily survival, create lasting opportunities and strengthen their contribution to Kumasi’s economy.

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