International Trade Centre and Access Bank partner to boost small business growth across 14 African countries

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and Access Bank have formed a partnership aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 14 African countries. The collaboration will focus on improving access to finance, markets, and skills training for these businesses. The program will begin with a pilot phase in Ghana, starting in September 2026 and concluding in June 2027.

The partnership will operate for three years, with a goal of scaling up to additional countries and programs in 2027. The initiative aims to address the challenges faced by African SMEs, which are a significant source of jobs on the continent but often struggle to secure financing and market access. This partnership combines the UN small business agency's technical expertise with Access Bank's extensive reach across African markets.

The five priority areas for the partnership are job creation, access to finance, SME business sustainability, capacity building including digital trade skills, and market access. The partnership directly supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, decent work and economic growth, and industry, innovation, and infrastructure.

Access Bank, with over 63 million customers across 25 African countries, emphasizes that finance is not enough to drive SME growth. The bank's partnership with the ITC will focus on providing small businesses with the necessary skills, networks, and market connections to scale their operations. Access Bank's Executive Director, Pamela Coke-Hamilton, highlights the importance of access to finance as the primary barrier to trade for African SMEs.

Seyi Kumapayi, Access Bank's Executive Director for African Subsidiaries, emphasizes that a combination of capital, market access, and trade-ready skills is crucial for the success of small businesses.