Mbabane- AeTrade Group is turning its attention to Eswatini’s small business sector, seeking to bridge the financing and market access challenges that continue to constrain the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The Africa-focused organization is set to host a business seminar on September 2, where it will introduce local businesses to its digital platform, Sokokuu, as part of efforts to connect entrepreneurs with markets, finance, business knowledge and support services.
AeTrade Group Chief Executive Officer Mulualem Syoum said the initiative was being driven by the persistent difficulties faced by African MSMEs in accessing capital and finding reliable markets for their products.
He said the financing challenge was particularly significant, with African MSMEs estimated to face a funding gap of more than E 5.2 trillion (US$300 billion) a year. Syoum said AeTrade wanted to help close this gap by creating stronger links between businesses that require funding and institutions that have capital available for investment.
The September seminar, themed Harnessing Sokokuu to Drive Shared Prosperity in Eswatini, will bring together MSMEs, women and youth entrepreneurs, financial institutions, government agencies and potential partners.
Sokokuu is designed as an integrated digital ecosystem built around three key areas, business knowledge, market linkages and access to finance and other business support. According to Syoum, one of the challenges facing entrepreneurs is that business support is often fragmented, forcing them to approach different institutions for training, financing, incubation and access to markets.
He said this could make it difficult for businesses to concentrate on expansion, particularly those trying to move from small-scale operations into larger enterprises. AeTrade believes its platform could help simplify this process by connecting businesses with the relevant support within one ecosystem.
Syoum said market access would be another major focus of the initiative, particularly for Eswatini businesses looking to expand into regional and international markets. He said AeTrade had identified similar challenges through its work in countries such as Rwanda and Ethiopia, where MSMEs struggled to find customers, process payments efficiently and adopt technology that could improve their operations.
The organization also sees an opportunity to assist agricultural businesses seeking to move beyond primary production and develop into structured enterprises capable of supplying larger markets.
The initiative comes after AeTrade established its Southern Regional Headquarters in Eswatini, positioning the country as its base for programmes targeting the wider Southern African market.
Before the September seminar, AeTrade will showcase its digital solutions at the Eswatini International Trade Fair, where it will exhibit at the International Pavilion.
Syoum said the organization would use the trade fair and the seminar to engage businesses and potential partners as it builds what it described as a more connected MSME support ecosystem in Eswatini.
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