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<p>According to the African Development Bank, women-owned Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Africa face a $42billion financing gap tied to a lack of access to collateral in the form of land and property as well as networks to grow their businesses. What can be done to strengthen access to finance for women-owned SMEs? Vanessa Moungar, Director for Gender, Women and Civil Society at AfDB joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


AfDB on how strengthen access to finance for women-owned SMEs

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<p>SMEs account for over 75 per cent of Rwanda&#8217;s businesses and there are fears that with the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area, they can be overshadowed by large corporations. Rwanda&#8217;s Minister for Trade and Industry, Soraya Hakuziyaremye spoke to CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Soraya Hakuziyaremye: How Rwandan SMEs can to tap into the AfCFTA

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<p>The Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC) has committed $10 million to venture capital firm, Knife Capital. The company has a new African series expansion fund, aimed to invest behind the aggressive expansion of African innovation-driven companies. Nchaupe Khaole, Chief Investment Officer at the Mineworkers Investment Company joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


MIC invests $10mn into African innovation companies

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<p>As Small Medium and Micro companies are seen as the key to South Africa’s economic recovery- the city of Cape Town has set up mechanisms to support such companies. White investment was subdued in 2020 due to COVID-19, it has been imperative to invest into start-ups. Joining CNBC Africa for this discussion are James Vos, MMC for Economic Opportunities in the City of Cape Town, Anton Baumann Executive Director of Empowerment Capital and Katlego Maphai Co-founder &#038; CEO of Yoco.</p>


How can South Africa expand its start-up economy?

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<p>Following complaints from local entrepreneurs, the Kenyan government is planning to exempt start-ups from a 1.5 per cent digital tax that aims to expand the tax base. To understand implications of the tax on the start-up ecosystem, CNBC Africa spoke to Victor Otieno, Managing Director at Viffa Consult.</p>


Kenyan govt. to exempt start-ups from digital tax

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<p>Economies all over the world lost trillions of dollars due to COVID-19, with small and medium sized businesses being heavily impacted. However, SMEs are set to be one of the winners, with the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Joining CNBC Africa to discuss the landscape for these businesses is Dr. Ebiekure Eradiri, Secretary-General of the All Africa Association for Small &#038; Medium Enterprises joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


How African SMEs can leverage the AfCFTA for growth

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<p>In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have been disrupted bringing about a need to move from the traditional brick and mortar system. Looking at the COMESA region, inter regional trade has been halted in many border towns but could digitising of these business help amplify some form of recovery? CNBC Africa spoke to the CEO of the COMESA Business Council, Sandra Uwera for more.</p>


COMESA Business Council on the cost of digitizing SMEs

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<p>A survey by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the impact of coronavirus on the Lagos business community shows that 81 per cent of SMEs were severely affected by the pandemic. But could the coming into effect of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement offer a path to recovery for these businesses? Muda Yusuf, Director General of the LCCI joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


AfCFTA: A recovery path for Nigerian MSMEs?

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<p>Africa is one of the fastest-growing consumer retail markets in the world. It’s full of economic potential that lies within the informal retail sector. Nomanini, Nestlé and Standard Bank have partnered to give informal small businesses a boost, across the Eastern and Southern Africa Region. Joining CNBC Africa to discuss unlocking business opportunities is Vahid Monadjem, CEO &#038; Founder of Nomanini.</p>


This initiative is empowering informal retail traders across the Eastern & Southern Africa Region

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<p>The physical process of securing bid bonds is one the big obstacles to trade finance in Kenya and the region at large. In a bid to address that and boost trade finance, Sidian Bank has developed an online platform that provides verifiable bid bonds to SMEs. Beatrice Kamiri, Head of Corporate Banking and Trade Finance at Sidian Bank joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


How Kenya’s Sidian Bank is leveraging tech to enhance trade finance

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<p>Small businesses in South Africa face significant barriers to growth. These include limited access to funding, ineffective supply chain procedures and issues with new technology. Secha Capital has announced a R400 million fund, which aims to invest in SMEs. Rushil Vallabh, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Secha Capital joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


R400mn fund launched to help scale up small businesses in South Africa

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<p>As South Africa is working on building back better after being battered by COVID-19, government ministers are on a journey to rebuild their departments. The aim is to bring back people’s trust of government and the public sector. One of the channels that the government is using to achieve this goal, is the National School of Government. CNBC Africa’s Godfrey Mutizwa spoke with Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Public Service &#038; Administration.</p>


Here’s what EU investors think of SA’s empowerment policies

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<p>Small and medium enterprises account for 80 per cent of the African economy but remain less competitive due in part to lack of a platform which accommodates digital cross-border payments by SMEs. To address this, COMESA Business Council has been making consultations with stakeholders on the establishment of a regional digital common payments policy which would inform the proposed digital integrated retail payment scheme for SMEs. Sandra Uwera, CEO, COMESA Business Council joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


COMESA to develop a regional digital common payment scheme for small businesses

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<p>In order to increase the number of companies utilizing the capital market; the Capital Market Authority has proposed a strategy to attract more SMEs. The Capital Market Investment Clinic is designed to help SMEs become investor ready and encourage an increase in the number of listings on the Rwanda Stock Exchange. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Tesi Kaven filed this report.</p>


Rwanda’s CMA launches investment clinic to attract small businesses

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<p>Rwanda’s largest bank by assets, Bank of Kigali is to avail more than $5 million in form of grants to small and medium enterprises to support the perseveration of employment and jobs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. CNBC Africa spoke with Santos Musonera, Head of Business at Bank of Kigali for more.</p>


Bank of Kigali avails $5.5mn to help small businesses stay open amid COVID-19

Bank of Kigali avails $5.5mn to help small businesses stay open amid COVID-19 crisis

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<p>The 2020 Mastercard Gig Economy Industry Outlook report indicates that there is rapid development of the global Gig Economy, projecting double-digit annual growth for the industry over the next five years. CNBC Africa spoke with Ngozi Megwa, Senior vice President, Digital Partnerships, Middle East and Africa at Mastercard on the purpose of the study and the impact this fast-growing industry has on the East African economy.</p>


How the digital use is powering up the gig economy in East Africa

How digital technology is powering up East Africa’s growing gig economy

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<p>Mastercard has launched Fintech Express designed to facilitate emerging fintechs’ launch and expansion in the Middle East and Africa. With the power of partnerships and Mastercard’s expertise, technology, and global network, start-ups will be able to focus on innovation that drives the digital economy. On more on this we had a conversation with Gaurang Shah, Senior Vice President, Digital payments and labs for Middle East and Africa at Mastercard.</p>


SMEs

AfDB on how strengthen access to finance for women-owned SMEs

Soraya Hakuziyaremye: How Rwandan SMEs can to tap into the AfCFTA

MIC invests $10mn into African innovation companies

How can South Africa expand its start-up economy?

Kenyan govt. to exempt start-ups from digital tax

How African SMEs can leverage the AfCFTA for growth

COMESA Business Council on the cost of digitizing SMEs

AfCFTA: A recovery path for Nigerian MSMEs?

This initiative is empowering informal retail traders across the Eastern & Southern Africa Region

How Kenya’s Sidian Bank is leveraging tech to enhance trade finance

R400mn fund launched to help scale up small businesses in South Africa

Here’s what EU investors think of SA’s empowerment policies

COMESA to develop a regional digital common payment scheme for small businesses

Rwanda’s CMA launches investment clinic to attract small businesses

Bank of Kigali avails $5.5mn to help small businesses stay open amid COVID-19 crisis

How digital technology is powering up East Africa’s growing gig economy

Mastercard empowers Middle East & Africa fintechs to launch and expand rapidly

News Tips

Advertise With Us

SMEs

AfDB on how strengthen access to finance for women-owned SMEs

Soraya Hakuziyaremye: How Rwandan SMEs can to tap into the AfCFTA

MIC invests $10mn into African innovation companies

How can South Africa expand its start-up economy?

Kenyan govt. to exempt start-ups from digital tax

How African SMEs can leverage the AfCFTA for growth

COMESA Business Council on the cost of digitizing SMEs

AfCFTA: A recovery path for Nigerian MSMEs?

This initiative is empowering informal retail traders across the Eastern & Southern Africa Region

How Kenya’s Sidian Bank is leveraging tech to enhance trade finance

R400mn fund launched to help scale up small businesses in South Africa

Here’s what EU investors think of SA’s empowerment policies

COMESA to develop a regional digital common payment scheme for small businesses

Rwanda’s CMA launches investment clinic to attract small businesses

Bank of Kigali avails $5.5mn to help small businesses stay open amid COVID-19 crisis

How digital technology is powering up East Africa’s growing gig economy

Mastercard empowers Middle East & Africa fintechs to launch and expand rapidly

News Tips

Advertise With Us

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