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African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD)
Source: African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) |

AUDA-NEPA launches the MSME Academy for all Africa’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprises

The platform will provide access to market intelligence, a host of mentors with diverse experience, while assisting with access to funding opportunities

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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

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, August 11, 2020/APO Group/ --

AUDA-NEPAD (the African Union Development Agency) (www.NEPAD.org) has announced the launch of the MSME Academy, 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. Registration for the MSME Academy can be done here: https://msmeacademy.nepad.org

The first wave of countries includes:

  1. Ghana - August 21st                      
  2. Togo - August 25th
  3. Kenya – September 1st                 
  4. Nigeria – September 3rd
  5. Côte d’Ivoire – September 8th
  6. Niger – September 15th
  7. Rwanda – September 17th
  8. Chad – September 23rd

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD).

MSME Academy Launch (1)

MSME Academy Launch (2)

Media Contact- For more information and to schedule interviews:
African Union Development Agency-NEPAD
Ms Millicent Kgeledi
Communications Officer
Tel: +27 83 2661829
Millicents@nepad.org

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated
Ms Christiane Bossom
Group Corporate Communication Manager
Tel (228) 22 21 03 03
groupcorporatecomms@ecobank.com

For technical questions related to the MSME Academy, please contact MSMEAcademy@nepad.org

About AUDA-NEPAD:
The African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (www.NEPAD.org) 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 (www.Ecobank.com), 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.