A 25-year-old student from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Samuel Naamgwimaa, has won the fifth Presidential Pitch competition held in Accra, taking home GH¢250,000 for his innovation, Smart Switch. The Electrical and Electronic Engineering diploma student’s innovation was adjudged the overall best by the panel members.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo added a personal package of GH₵50,000 to the original prize money of GH¢200,000. Naamgwimaa also became the maiden winner of the Dr John Kumah Prize for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, launched by President Akufo-Addo in honor of the late Deputy Minister of Finance.

Naamgwimaa’s Smart Switch innovation aims to make a significant impact on people’s lives. He expressed gratitude to the President and the initiative, stating that the prize money would help him scale up his innovation and take it to the market.

The Presidential Pitch is a government initiative to boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Ghana, providing a platform for young entrepreneurs to showcase their business ideas and receive funding. This year’s competition saw 10 young Ghanaians presenting their ideas and innovations across various sectors.

President Akufo-Addo commended the young entrepreneurs for their innovative ideas and urged them to stay focused on scaling up their ideas for societal benefit. He emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and creating sustainable jobs.

The late Dr John Kumah, former CEO of the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programme (NEIP), was immortalized with the announcement of the Dr John Kumah Prize for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the declaration of the week preceding the Presidential Pitch as the John Kumah Week of Entrepreneurship.