Accra: Ecofert Ghana Ltd, a company specializing in producing organic fertilizer and biogas from agricultural waste, emerged as the overall winner of the prestigious 2025 HTU-CIMG/GOIL Entrepreneurial Marketing and Innovation Awards. This remarkable achievement was announced during the sixth edition of the competition held at Ho Technical University (HTU), featuring seven teams as finalists.
According to Ghana News Agency, the awards ceremony, which took place on July 10, saw Ecofert Ghana leading the pack, with Ecowrap and Nature Tex securing the second and third positions, respectively. In his address, HTU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ben Honyenuga encouraged all participating teams to utilize the feedback from judges to enhance their business models. He emphasized that not securing a top-three position does not signify a flawed idea but rather a need for better communication or execution. Prof. Honyenuga also highlighted the newly established Innovation Hub at HTU, backed by a US $20,000 start-up fund, as a resource for all teams to refine their projects.
Ms. Priscilla Menka, Marketing Manager of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), underscored the significance of the awards in addressing the country's graduate unemployment by transforming young innovators into job creators. She described marketing as a catalyst for innovation and sustainable development, stressing the importance of supporting technical universities like HTU to empower the youth in creating businesses that generate employment, protect the environment, and drive profitability. Ms. Menka also called for additional partners to expand the program beyond the current scope of three prize-winning teams.
Prof. Emmanuel Letsyo, Chair of the Awards Fund Committee, disclosed that this year marked the highest participation since the awards' inception in 2019, with 104 teams submitting ideas, a figure that doubled last year's submissions. From this pool, 25 teams were shortlisted, with seven ultimately pitching for the top honors.
Owen Gbevoadi, the team lead of Ecofert, expressed gratitude for the GHS20,000 prize, which he noted would enhance their production capabilities to meet increasing demand. Gbevoadi acknowledged the challenges of executing business ideas and assured sponsors of a solid return on their investment. Meanwhile, Ecowrap and Nature Tex received GHS15,000 and GHS10,000, respectively, for their innovative contributions.
The HTU-CIMG/GOIL awards continue to distinguish Ghanaian tertiary students as innovators, providing them with funding, coaching, and a platform to compete on both national and international stages.
