Ghana urged to make Kaizen permanent after UNIDO project helps 200+ MSMEs

# What happened Project, launched in 2022, concluded its official activities in Accra on September 23, 2026. Over the four years the project supported more than 200 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana to improve productivity, product quality, operational efficiency, and overall business performance using the Kaizen continuous improvement approach.

# Who spoke and what they said Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Sampson Ahi spoke on behalf of Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare. He urged the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) to make Kaizen a permanent service available across the country. Ahi emphasized that Kaizen should be treated as an ongoing discipline, not a one-time training.

Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum called for applying Kaizen in the public sector as well. He recommended linking continuous improvement to measurable targets, worker well-being, and skills development aligned with industry needs.

Kaizen as more than a management concept and reaffirmed Japan's support for Ghana's sustainable, inclusive development. He congratulated UNIDO, GEA, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, and participating businesses, and encouraged exploring ways to expand the initiative.

# Why this matters for MSMEs Kaizen focuses on incremental, continuous improvements to processes and workplace practices. According to the closing statements, Ghanaian businesses involved in the project recorded gains in productivity and quality. The government's call to institutionalize Kaizen through the GEA aims to make those improvements available to a broader set of enterprises, potentially improving competitiveness and export readiness.

Kaizen in public institutions suggests a push to improve service delivery while connecting workplace improvements to workforce skills and job creation.

# Practical implications

• For MSMEs: Treat Kaizen as an ongoing operational discipline. Businesses that participated were encouraged to continue applying the methods rather than considering the training complete.
• For policymakers and agencies: GEA is the suggested vehicle to scale Kaizen as a regular service for enterprises across regions. That requires resources, trainer capacity, and follow-up mechanisms.
• For the public sector: Adopting Kaizen could help meet measurable productivity and worker development targets if linked to skills programs and well-being measures.

# What next Speakers at the closing urged scaling the approach to reach more businesses across Ghana. The immediate practical next step called for was for GEA to build on the project's achievements and operationalize Kaizen as a permanent offering to MSMEs. The Ministry of Labour recommended concrete links between Kaizen adoption, worker skills, and measurable outcomes.

# Bottom line A multi-year UNIDO pilot introduced Kaizen to over 200 Ghanaian MSMEs with reported gains in productivity and quality. Government leaders and partners are pushing to turn that pilot into a permanent, countrywide service through the Ghana Enterprises Agency and to extend the approach into public-sector practices tied to skills and job creation.