By Lucy Ogalue
The InnoPower Africa Foundation has partnered with the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC) to inaugurate a Capacity Building and Training (CB&T) Programme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across West Africa.
Founder of InnoPower Africa, Mr Emil Ekiyor, said the initiative aimed to accelerate digital transformation and strengthened the competitiveness of MSMEs in all 15 ECOWAS member states by closing the digital skills gap.
“The programme will focus on AI literacy, prompt engineering, and entrepreneurship development to position West African businesses for growth in the digital economy.
“A key component is the ECOWAS Business AI Studio, a digital platform developed by InnoPower Africa and its U.S. partners.
“The platform provides MSMEs with AI-powered tools for automating business tasks, accessing market intelligence, securing finance, and supporting business formalisation.”
Ekiyor said the programme would train 250 Master Trainers, who would in turn equip thousands of MSMEs, mostly women and young entrepreneurs, with advanced digital skills.
Dr Abdulrashid Yerima, Regional President of ESBC, said empowering MSMEs with AI skills was critical for sustainable economic growth.
He added that the partnership would strengthen West Africa’s position in the global digital economy by providing vulnerable groups with modern technology, targeted training, and the capacity to thrive in the future of work.
NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA