SMEs

SMEs are responsible for 80% of employment in Africa, providing the needed disposable income to support increased demand for new goods and services. They are therefore the engines for sustainable economic growth. Public and private investments must be made in SMEs given their centrality in Africa’s economy.

Despite their importance, SMEs in Africa do face a multitude of challenges including but not limited to:

SMEs a generally difficult business operating environment; lack of access to financing – both working capital and risk capital; lack of access to sizable markets due to inability to consistently meet the volumes and quality required; lack of appropriate innovative technology for value-addition across value chains; inadequate management systems and structures; inability to attract and retain competent staff; lack of access to electricity and/or other sources of energy.

Cognizant of these realities, ACLAIM works with SMEs by:

  • Conducting Business Diagnoses before guiding them in the development of innovative Business Plans.
  • Building robust Financial Management Systems to enable the SMEs obtain and interpret financial information for decision-making.
  • Conducting SME Business Trainings covering various areas ranging from: managing people, managing money, business planning, succession planning, changing business models, customer service, marketing, etc.
  • Providing Outsourced Board Services (Rent A Board) especially given the challenge faced in building strong boards;
  • Providing Outsourced Financial Management or Outsourced Human Resource Management or Outsourced Procurement Services to allow the SMEs focus on their core business processes.

Please refer to the various ACLAIM Capabilities for the services offered to the Customer Segment and to ACLAIM Insights for some of our lessons and experiences.