The International Trade Centre (ITC) and Access Bank Plc have entered into a new partnership aimed at improving access to finance, markets and skills for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across 14 African countries.
The partnership, announced on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, will begin with a pilot programme in Ghana before expanding to other African markets.
The 14 countries covered by the initiative are Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
African SMEs account for a significant share of employment across the continent but often face difficulties accessing finance, markets and the skills required to expand their businesses.
The new collaboration seeks to address some of these challenges by combining ITC’s expertise in trade development, business training and market access with Access Bank’s extensive presence across African markets.
The three-year partnership will focus on five key areas: job creation through SMEs, improved access to finance, SME sustainability, capacity building and access to markets.
Special attention will be given to women- and youth-owned businesses, while training will include digital trade skills and other capabilities needed to help small businesses compete in local and international markets.
The initiative will also support intra-African trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with the partners seeking to help SMEs take advantage of opportunities created by the continental trade agreement.
The programme is expected to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, and SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure.
Ghana Pilot
The first phase of the programme will run from September 2026 to June 2027 and will target a group of small businesses in Ghana, with priority given to women-led enterprises.
The pilot will make use of ITC’s existing digital learning platforms and training-of-trainers programmes, delivered in collaboration with staff of Access Africa Office.
Following the pilot, the partners plan to expand the initiative from 2027 to additional African countries and introduce more programmes, including advanced training on sustainability standards and digital marketplace tools.
Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, said access to finance remains a major obstacle to trade for small businesses across Africa.
She said the partnership with Access Bank would help businesses overcome the financing challenge while also providing them with knowledge, networks and market connections needed for growth.
Seyi Kumapayi, Executive Director, African Subsidiaries at Access Bank, said access to finance alone was not enough to help small businesses grow.
According to him, businesses also need market access and trade-related skills to successfully scale their operations.
He said the partnership would combine Access Bank’s reach across African markets with ITC’s expertise in knowledge, networks and market connections.
Kumapayi added that the initiative would begin with women-led enterprises and other small businesses in Ghana, with plans to expand its reach and promote intra-African trade and financial inclusion.
Access Bank operates across Africa through a network of more than 700 branches in 25 countries across three continents, serving more than 60 million customers.
The bank said the partnership forms part of its broader commitment to supporting SMEs through tailored financial solutions, capacity building and digital market access, while promoting sustainable economic growth across the continent.
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