Equity Bank Kenya has urged small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to scale up their operations beyond their current geographical boundaries and explore opportunities in regional markets.
Speaking at a networking forum in Thika, Acting Managing Director Moses Nyabanda highlighted the significant potential for SMEs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a market with a high demand for goods and services.
Nyabanda encouraged SMEs to join Equity in investing in the region and contributing to Africa’s economic development.
“You can change the narrative of our development by joining us to invest in the region to scale up your business,” he said.
Nyabanda emphasized the critical role of SMEs in addressing Africa’s unemployment crisis. By scaling up their businesses, SMEs can create jobs and drive sustainable growth.
“Our biggest pride as equity is solving Africa’s problems and we want you to be part of the journey of finding solutions for Africa by striving to grow. If you remain small you will solve only an immediate need. If you scale up, you will solve long-term needs.”
“As a bank, we will walk with you to ensure you truly scale up,” he said while illustrating why the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan was drawn with micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in mind.
Associate Director for Public Sector and Institutional Banking, Ambassador Mary Mugwanja, assured SMEs that ample financing is available to support their expansion plans. She urged businesses to leverage Equity’s resources and expertise to achieve their growth objectives.
During the event, Nyabanda and his team visited two SMEs in Thika: Fairnuts Limited and Kenblest. They toured the facilities, discussed business strategies, and explored potential partnerships.
