The Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) and Guzakuza have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch WISE Exports 2.0, a high-impact, four-year initiative aimed at scaling 300 women-led Non-Traditional Export SMEs across Ghana.

WISE Exports 2.0 (Women in SME Exports) will unlock new global trade opportunities for Ghanaian women entrepreneurs, targeting $15 million in cumulative export sales and creating over 1,500 direct and indirect jobs by 2029.

The programme will focus on high-potential value chains, including cassava, moringa, cocoa, dried fruits, shea, baobab, coconut, and fashion accessories.

“This MOU is a signal to Ghana, Africa, and the world — that women-led exports are a strategic priority,” said Emmanuel Ansah-Amprofi, Youth & Gender Coordinator at FAGE.

“WISE Exports 2.0 is not just a programme; it is a transformational movement to build inclusive wealth, competitive SMEs, and sustainable trade opportunities.”
On his part, Mr. Abdul-Karim Dubiure, CEO of FAGE said, “ FAGE and its partners are passionately committed to placing women at the forefront of Ghana’s export drive- marking a bold turning point for women-led initiatives that will transform lives and elevate livelihoods across the nation.”

The partnership brings together three leading institutions:

FAGE, with its policy leadership, trade missions, and export compliance capacity; Guzakuza, a pan-African women-led organisation known for empowering agribusinesses through training, mentorship, and finance; BuyAfricaMade (BAM), will offer a dynamic digital platform that unlocks global market access for SMEs through cutting-edge e-commerce and logistics support.

WISE Exports 2.0 is designed to address three systemic gaps confronting women entrepreneurs in Ghana: limited export readiness, inadequate access to trade finance, and exclusion from global market systems. The program’s integrated approach will include:

Intensive capacity building and export certification, Digital onboarding and international buyer engagement, Gender-focused trade finance mechanisms.

With its triple-bottom-line impact, WISE Exports 2.0 aligns strongly with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

“Women entrepreneurs are powering Africa’s growth quietly — it’s time they get the systems and scale to go global,” said Guzakuza Founder, Nana Adjoa Sefa. “We’re proud to partner with FAGE on this bold initiative.”

 

The WISE Exports 2.0 initiative is now actively seeking strategic investors, development agencies, trade finance partners, and technical collaborators to co-fund and support the $3 million implementation over the next four years.