AUDA-NEPAD - Afrikan Heroes

A New Academy Launches For African Startups And MSMEs

August 13, 2020

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.

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer

New Academy for Africa’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)

August 11, 2020

The African Union is collaborating with other pan African agencies to create a platform for micro small and medium enterprises to help provide access to market intelligence, a host of mentors with diverse experience, while assisting with access to funding opportunities across the continent. The platform is the brainchild of the African Union Development Agency AUDA formerly known as NEPAD in partnership with Ecobank Group. Spearheaded under the AUDA-NEPAD “100,000 MSMEs by 2021” (100K MSMEs) programme for Africa’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, the Academy provides easy access to practical training and resources on financing opportunities in various countries, materials on how to build digital presence for businesses and how to adapt business operations in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The platform will also provide access to market intelligence, a host of mentors with diverse experience, while assisting with access to funding opportunities.

The MSME Academy has three components: an informational webinar with invited speakers, a series of virtual instructor-led training programmes and mentorship for the MSMEs. The Academy has country specific content with world-class pan-African design to ensure the right balance between local realities (challenges and opportunities of the MSMEs) with a structured pan-African approach for the sustainability and scalability of the initiatives.

AUDA-NEPAD Chief Executive Officer Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki declared: “In this continent where the majority of the countries are low income and middle-income economies, where youth account for almost 60% of all of Africa’s unemployed, the contribution of MSMEs and informal enterprises to the GDP growth and employment creation is fundamental. As the continent faces the socio-economic uncertainties brought about by the outbreak of COVID-19, the AUDA-NEPAD MSME Academy which is delivered in partnership with Ecobank, aims to foster resilience and the survival of MSMEs’ in these critical times.”

Ade Ayeyemi, Ecobank Group CEO, commented: “The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt across Africa with serious challenges and uncertainties for our MSMEs. The MSME Academy comes at an appropriate time to provide the right level of support to this vulnerable and important business segment in Africa. We have leveraged on the expertise of our globally recognised Ecobank Academy to develop country specific content tailored to MSMEs in Africa and therefore encourage MSMEs to register and participate in the various available virtual training programmes. “

Africa’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprises are invited to join the informational webinars to learn about tips on access to finance and on building digital presence from speakers. The first wave of countries includes:Ghana – August 21st , Togo – August 25^th, Kenya – September 1^st,Nigeria-September 3^rd, Côte d’Ivoire – September 8^th, Niger – September 15^th, Rwanda – September 17^th and Chad – September 23^rd.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

The 100MEs by 2021” Programme for Africa’s MSME’s Launched

June 14, 2020

Efforts to pool African resources, capabilities, financing, market access and technology, to help achieve a continental response to MSMEs has been launched with the collaboration of AUDA-NEPAD (the African Union Development Agency) and Ecobank Group as both agreed to commit resources to Africa’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The second virtual workshop facilitated by McKinsey over the weekend provided an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of sustaining market access and strengthening capabilities for MSMEs. During the session, high level representatives from the African Union Commission, regional development banks, development financial institutions, international organisations and commercial banks from the continent, agreed to put in place the AUDA-NEPAD “100,000 MSMEs by 2021” programme.

Because MSMEs require collective resources to secure and create new jobs on the African continent, the need for collaboration becomes necessary, and as such, the AUDA-NEPAD MSME programme will have five pillars mainly, AUDA MSME Academy, MSME Financing Support Programme, MSME Marketplace, MSME Micro-health insurance Scheme and MSME digital platform.

These five pillars are designed to ensure that MSMEs across the continent are supported to become more resilient, improve their market access and take advantage of technology to tap into the African market of 1.3 billion consumers and leverage the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement.

AUDA-NEPAD Chief Executive Officer Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki commended the contribution of all the Financial Institutions, Development Partners and other Stakeholders who participated in designing the “100,000 MSMEs by 2021” programme. He emphasized the need for all actors to work together and support the private sector in Africa, in order to protect employment and to create the 440 million jobs the continent will need by 2030.

Ade Ayeyemi, Ecobank Group CEO reiterated Ecobank’s commitment to the initiative and specifically confirmed its support in building the digital platform, developing content for the MSME Academy and participating in lending to African MSMEs.Governments have committed to support MSMEs at the national level. The AUDA-NEPAD programme will pool African resources, capabilities, financing, market access and technology, to help achieve a continental response to MSME’s.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

AU, Ecobank Launch Framework to support Micro-Small-Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)

April 23, 2020

To effectively identify and seek ways of supporting micro-small-medium enterprises (MSMEs) which form a large part of individual economies in Africa but have little or no absorption capacity to the effect of the pandemic, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA) and Ecobank Group agreed to collaborate to support small businesses in Africa. AUDA-NEPAD Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki and Ecobank Group Chief Executive Officer Mr Ade Ayeyemi agreed to drive this continental initiative to support African Micro and Small-Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as they face the economic and social challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The major objectives of this initiative are to create a one-stop platform which will address the issues, challenges and needs of MSMEs during and post COVID-19, and be an all-encompassing, flexible and comprehensive one-size-fits-all tool for MSMEs in the formal and informal sectors across the continent.

The initiative also aims to identify opportunities and innovative ways to support and protect MSMEs and job opportunities, especially in food and agribusinesses, technology startups, health specialized entities and those operating along with supply chain operations, noting that MSMEs account for an estimated 90% of businesses in most African economies; and coordinate and harmonize initiatives and ongoing efforts that support MSMEs to gain access to information, finance, and fiscal stimulus during the outbreak. The platform also aims to ensure that MSMEs have continuous access to national, regional and continental markets while recommending to policymakers, solutions regarding domestic debts as they are projected to face challenges due to the economic difficulties that the Member States will face.

Speaking on the initiative, Dr. Mayaki highlighted that “the COVID-19 pandemic while affecting global economies, will have a devastating effect on African economies and businesses” adding that “AUDA-NEPAD and Ecobank Group intend to jointly build a continental platform based on our initial ‘100,000 SMEs by 2020’ campaign which will provide an immediate response to the potential impact of COVID-19 on SMEs and job creation on the continent”, said Dr Mayaki. He added that AUDA-NEPAD will leverage on its existing instruments, networks, and programmes to gather stakeholders around a digital platform that showcases and monitors the progress made.

Mr. Ade Ayeyemi remarked that the fragility of some of the African economies is more pronounced with the impact of COVID-19 and therefore continental coordination is essential to support national measures by governments to curb the spread of the virus on the continent. He further underscored that MSMEs which form a large part of individual economies in Africa have little or no absorption capacity to the effect of the pandemic. “As a longtime partner of AUDA-NEPAD, we welcome the opportunity to work with the Agency to co-lead this continental platform that will empower MSMEs with knowledge, resources, mentoring, technical expertise and financial support to ensure the sustainability of their businesses during and post COVID-19. The objective of the continental platform is indeed aligned with the Ecobank vision of contributing to the economic and social development of Africa, our home” said Ade Ayeyemi.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry