Spearheaded under the AUDA-NEPAD “100,000 MSMEs by 2021” (100K MSMEs) programme launched by the African Union Development Agency – AUDA-NEPAD and the Ecobank Group, the MSME Academy provides easy access to practical training and resources on financing opportunities in various countries, how to build digital presence for businesses and how to adapt business operations in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Panafrican MSME Academy offers free access to market intelligence, a host of mentors with diverse experience, while assisting with access to funding opportunities. The MSME Academy will have three components: an informational webinar with invited speakers, a series of virtual instructor-led trainings and mentorship for the MSMEs.

MSMEs are invited to join our first series of informational webinars tailored for MSME operating in Ghana. The first webinar provides tips on access to finance and building a digital presence.

When: August 21, 2020
Where: Register to the MSME Academy at https://msmeacademy.nepad.org/

About AUDA-NEPAD 100k MSMEs
The AUDA-NEPAD 100K MSMEs programme is focused on the implementation of the Agenda 2063 Aspiration number one (1), which aims at building a Prosperous Africa, based on Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development.

The programme will provide support to African MSMEs and is structured in three pillars, namely: the MSME Academy, MSME Marketplace and MSME Financing Support Programme to be delivered through an MSME Digital Platform.

1. MSME Academy: The MSME Academy aims to build the capacities of MSMEs across Africa through a combination of relevant content library, a network of institutions specialized in MSME support such as incubators and accelerators, and a community of peers, mentors and advisors.

2. MSME Marketplace: a consolidated marketplace of marketplaces, enabling MSMEs to access e-commerce, procurement and alternative financing opportunities across the continent

3. MSME Financing Support Program: a scheme that will bring together financial institutions, guarantee funds and other institutions to reduce the cost of risk for lenders to deliver capital to MSMEs at scale. The objective is to radically expand access to finance by aggregating smaller financial institutions such as micro-credit institutions and credit unions that have access to micro-enterprises, standardising their processes and building trust in their capabilities.

The MSME Digital Platform is a one-stop-shop for all MSMEs across Africa to access all these three programmes which jointly address MSMEs’ challenges with access to capacity building, markets and capital.

About AUDA-NEPAD
The African Union Development Agency-NEPAD is the development agency of the African Union, coordinating and executing priority regional and continental development projects to promote regional integration towards the accelerated realisation of Agenda 2063 – Africa’s vision and action plan. We are mandated to strengthen capacity of Member States and regional bodies.

About Ecobank Group
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’) is the parent company of the Ecobank Group, the leading independent pan-African banking group. The Ecobank Group employs over 14,800 people and serves more than 23 million customers in the consumer, commercial and corporate banking sectors across 33 African countries. The Group has a banking license in France and representative offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Johannesburg, South Africa; Beijing, China; London, the UK and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The Group offers a full suite of banking products, services and solutions including bank and deposit accounts, loans, cash management, advisory, trade, securities, wealth and asset management. ETI is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchanges in Lagos, the Ghana Stock Exchange in Accra, and the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières in Abidjan. For further information please visit www.ecobank.com.