SMEs

Zoho, a global technology company, announced a strategic partnership in Kenya with KNCCI to accelerate SME growth, advance digital transformation, and support entrepreneurs. The partnership was unveiled during Zoholics Kenya 2026, Zoho's annual user conference.

Over 28,000 companies have closed in Argentina since Javier Milei took office, representing a 5.5% decline in the country’s formal business base. Small and medium-sized enterprises account for 99.63% of closures, resulting in 341,396 formal job losses.

Argentina's ARCA introduced a payment plan for SMEs to refinance overdue tax, social security, and customs debts through up to 60 monthly installments under General Resolution 5711/2025. The plan offers a financing rate of 50% of the compensatory interest rate, currently 2.75% monthly, but does not forgive accrued interest, sparking a compliance debate.

Pakistan's government repeatedly urges banks to increase lending to SMEs, but progress remains stagnant due to perceived risks and banks' preference for safer government loans. Despite initiatives like the Access to Finance Plan aiming to boost SME credit access, banks cite challenges like weak legal enforcement and lack of SME financial data, while prioritizing low-risk government securities.

Pakistan's SME policy has prioritized consumption over production, with 45.1% of business establishments in trade versus 9.8% in manufacturing. Bank lending data shows 40.6% of trade credit goes to SMEs, compared to 5.5% in manufacturing, despite manufacturing SME credit stock declining by 15.6 percentage points in five years. The focus on consumption-driven sectors hinders export growth and productivity.

Pakistan's economic debate focuses on the inefficiency of government spending versus private investment, with private investment generating higher returns but stagnant productivity preventing compounding growth. The article highlights low productivity in Pakistan compared to India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, and suggests reforms like export discipline, skills development, and technology adoption for SMEs to improve output per rupee.

President Bola Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s young population as a key asset for digital opportunities, assuring Mastercard of a tech-ready workforce and supporting digital skills development for small and medium enterprises.

NSIA Banque Côte d'Ivoire has secured a €30 million facility from Britain's development finance arm to expand SME lending across the country. The funding aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Côte d'Ivoire.

Nigeria’s non-oil exports increased by 21% in 2025, with 1,000 SMEs certified for export. The National Agricultural Development Fund is deploying 10,000 tractors over five years to support agriculture.

Zedvance announced plans to triple its lending after disbursing N120bn to SMEs in 2025. The firm will allocate 100% of its active loan portfolio to small and medium enterprises and critical ecosystem enablers.