Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Africa’s economies, driving jobs, trade, and innovation. Yet many remain excluded from formal value chains and face persistent barriers to affordable finance, limiting their growth and competitiveness. Strengthening the links between enterprises, financiers, and markets is essential to unlocking Africa’s productive potential and building a more resilient, integrated economy.
Through the Alliance for Entrepreneurship in Africa, its members are bridging these gaps—mobilizing capital, data, and partnerships to help SMEs thrive. This session will share progress from the Alliance, present insights on SME financing needs, and explore how blended finance, supply chain solutions, and digital innovation can catalyze investment, integration, and inclusive growth across the continent.
Key Points:
- Demand-Driven Solutions: What does recent evidence reveal about the financial and non-financial needs of SMEs across Africa’s value chains—and how can it guide targeted interventions to better match supply with demand?
- Bridging the financing gap: How can blended finance and innovative liquidity solutions help SMEs secure working capital and integrate into regional and global value chains?
- Alliance platform and partnerships: How can the Alliance’s resources and collaboration among DFIs, corporates, and governments mobilize finance, de-risk SME lending, align incentives, and drive greater impact across value chains?