Published: 29 Sep 2022 836 views
Dubbed the SME “Business Linkage Program” (https://bit.ly/3RhA6W3), this programme, which already exists in Ghana and Senegal and is being prepared for the G5 Sahel countries, contributes to achieving one of the African Development Bank’s major objectives: to stimulate economic growth and social progress in Africa.
Established to promote economic and social development efforts on the continent, the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group comprises three entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB) which is the parent institution, created following an agreement signed by 23 founding member states on August 14, 1963 in Khartoum, Sudan. This became effective on September 10, 1964. The group includes two concessionary windows – the African Development Fund (ADF), established on November 29, 1972 by the African Development Bank and 13 non-African countries; and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF), set up in 197... continue reading
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| Application Deadline | 05 Oct 2022 |
| Country to study | Madagascar |
| Type | Entrepreneurs |
| Sponsor | African Development Bank Group (AfDB) |
| Gender | Men and Women |
The SME Business Linkage programme has three thrusts, relating to access to skills, market and finance.
Regarding “access to skills”, participating businesses benefited from a capacity building programme in entrepreneurial culture, diagnostics, business plan development, and training in managerial skills, coaching and mentoring, as well as facilitating business linkages. Beneficiaries were also given the opportunity to undertake immersion internships in established companies.
The market access component, which concerns the establishment of a digital platform for connecting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with large established companies, is underway. This platform, which will be called “Mada Business Linkage”, will allow – among other things – large companies involved in the provision of goods and services to publish their needs for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, via a registration and listing system. The platform will be operational in early 2023; initially dedicated to the beneficiary companies of the programme, it will then be open to any formal company duly registered.
As for the “access to financing” component, a credit guarantee system has been set up with two local partner banks to promote access to financing for small and medium-sized Madagascan companies, so that they can respond to requests from large companies. This can be cash flow or investment financing. The partnership agreements are about to be finalised.
Small and medium-sized Malagasy enterprises wishing to participate in this second phase of the programme, which is due to end in December 2023, are invited to register directly on the page. This call for applications is aimed mainly at small and medium-sized Malagasy companies with a strong potential for commercial links with large companies. Professional groups and chambers of commerce and industry are encouraged to relay the information to their members.
For more details, visit AfDB website.
