Empowering SMEs with Skills for Growth
More than training, it’s a strategic investment in African entrepreneurs, equipping them with the skills and confidence to scale, compete globally, and transform local markets into engines of sustainable growth.
6,500+
SMEs Trained
Since 2023
69%
Youth-led SMEs Trained
Since 2023
78%
Women-led SMEs Trained
Since 2023
Empowering SMEs with Skills, Tools, and Opportunities for Growth
The Capacity Building component of the Export SME Development Program (ESDP) is designed as an instrument of deliberate investment in the technical, managerial, and operational capacities of African SMEs and their ecosystem enablers. It responds to the manifest need for structured and context-relevant upskilling interventions that transcend generic business training. Programs are delivered in partnership with specialized technical institutions possessing a verifiable record of excellence in enterprise development and sectoral knowledge transfer.
Core Beneficiaries
Driving Inclusive SME Growth
From agribusiness to tech, SMEs are empowered to scale, innovate, and generate sustainable jobs.
Banks and investors gain tools to better serve SMEs, ensuring finance flows where it drives real impact.
Business networks and agencies amplify support, building ecosystems where SMEs can thrive.
Training and Support Areas
Our performance-based programs focus on seven key competencies to prepare SMEs for local and international expansion:
- Export Development and Trade Facilitation
- Business and Strategic Management
- Capital Raising and Investment Readiness
- Digital Transformation
- Feasibility Analysis
- Financial Management and Governance
- Marketing Strategy
Program Types
Incubator Programs
Designed for early-stage startups at the ideation or concept stage, incubators provide structured support through:
- Concept validation and business model refinement
- Sector-specific mentorship and advisory
- Peer learning and networking opportunities
Accelerator Programs
Ideal for growth-stage startups with a viable product or early traction, accelerators offer:
- Strategic repositioning and growth planning
- Investor engagement preparation
- Market access facilitation and scale-readiness assessments
Technical Assistance to Financial Intermediaries (TA to FIs)
We enhance the operational capacity of financial institutions to serve SMEs effectively by improving their end-to-end credit value chains. Focus areas include:
- SME banking strategy and product development
- Credit scoring and risk management
- Loan portfolio and MIS upgrades
Service dedicated to FIs
Workshops & Seminars
These short-duration interventions are curated to raise thematic awareness and stimulate dialogue around pressing developmental topics. Unlike the skill-intensive incubators and accelerators, workshops serve to distil knowledge and foster a shared understanding of contextual economic and industrial dynamics.
Events are typically one-day, sector-focused, and aligned with Afreximbank’s overarching mandate of trade-driven development and financial inclusion.
Explore
Our Impact