Unleashing the power of SMEs

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Africa’s SMEs are demonstrating the dynamism, innovation and excellence that we want to see replicated across the continent. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are at the heart of African economies. Their continued wellbeing, resilience and growth offer hope for the continent’s economic development and the structural transformation of its economies. SMEs remain critical contributors to employment and economic activities across the continent, even while operating sometimes in very difficult environments.

 

Notwithstanding their promise and potential, they are sometimes handicapped by productivity and competitiveness challenges that hinder their growth, and they are still largely shut out of critical global value chains. Addressing these competitiveness and productivity challenges is critical to unleashing the transformative power of African SMEs.