{
  "id": 8625638,
  "title": "GEC+Africa 2026: Africa’s entrepreneurs demand action on finance and red tape",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/gec-africa-2026-africas-entrepreneurs-demand-action-on-finance-and",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-20T06:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/business/2026-09-20-gecafrica-2026-africas-entrepreneurs-demand-action-on-finance-and-red-tape/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "GEC+Africa 2026, Africa's largest entrepreneurship gathering, took place last week at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The congress focused on \"Connecting Africa,\" highlighting the importance of collaboration between entrepreneurs, markets, capital, policymakers, corporates, and ecosystem support organizations to unlock the continent's economic potential. Former President Kgalema Motlanthe officially opened the event, emphasizing entrepreneurship and inclusive economic participation as vital for Africa's future growth and job creation. Edna Sathekga-Montse, Group Chief Transformation and Sustainability Officer at African Bank, stressed that Africa lacks the systems to keep pace with its determined entrepreneurs, despite the abundance of ideas and ambition. She pointed out that entrepreneurs are transforming communities through digital platforms, mobile technologies, and innovative solutions to long-standing problems. However, access to finance, slow regulatory processes, uneven market access, and challenges scaling businesses remain significant barriers. Sathekga-Montse emphasized the role of entrepreneurship as a key growth engine, converting innovation into productivity, investment, and jobs. Digital transformation and inclusive growth are crucial to ensure benefits reach more people, communities, and economies across Africa. On the last day of the congress, James Vos, City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, called for government to work better, reducing red tape and improving ease of doing business. He highlighted that innovation in government does not need to be complicated, focusing on finding practical solutions to everyday problems. Vos identified Cape Town's competitive advantages in technology, BPO, the green economy, manufacturing, tourism, clothing and textiles, marine manufacturing, and the creative economy. He stressed that government's role is to understand opportunities, identify obstacles, and implement practical measures to support businesses. Lastly, Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni outlined a strategic shift in government policy towards measuring real-world economic outcomes rather than administrative output. She emphasized that Africa's greatest asset is its young and rapidly growing population, who will drive future global growth.",
  "summary": "GEC+Africa 2026 brought entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers together in Cape Town to discuss stronger links between African businesses, markets, capital and support organisations.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}