BMZ Engagement Award for Gloria Niiquaye
Diaspora entrepreneur Gloria Niiquaye was honoured by Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan for her outstanding commitment to development cooperation. Her start-up COMESO improves access to healthcare in Ghana and Nigeria. In 2023 and 2024, COMESO was supported by GIZ Global Programme "Shaping development-oriented migration" (MEG) and its "Business Ideas for Development" (BID) initiative.
On 5 September 2026, the Development Minister recognised Gloria Niiquaye and six other individuals for their commitment to development cooperation between Germany and its partner countries. In her commendation, the Minister highlighted the dedication of the award winners during a time when the common good is increasingly fading into the background.
This is how the Minister highlighted the impact created:
A strong civil society and numerous dedicated individuals are indispensable because they get involved, bring in different perspectives, develop ideas, and build relationships and trust between people worldwide, as well as between Germany and the Global South. With the BMZ Engagement Award, I would like to recognise outstanding commitment and simultaneously thank all dedicated people in Germany who advocate for peace and justice globally.
Healthcare across boarders - provided by COMESO
From her own experience, Gloria Niiquaye knows that remittances sent by diaspora members to their families are unfortunately not always used for the intended purpose. When family members send money for urgent medical treatments, the consequences can be severe. COMESO’s approach is simple. Through the app, users can purchase health vouchers for their relatives. These vouchers are redeemed directly at treatment centres to ensure that medical care is provided.
Support from the GIZ Global Programme MEG
The MEG initiative "Business Ideas for Development" (BID ) served as a crucial catalyst for COMESO. Through a BID grant and mentoring programme between 2023 and 2024, the team was able to finance initial field research and analyse regulatory requirements. This resulted in a licensing plan alongside a structured onboarding and training package for partner providers.