ITC-Access Bank Partnership Targets SMEs Job Creation Across Africa

A new partnership between the International Trade Centre (ITC) and Access Bank’s Access Africa Office is set to unlock finance, skills and market access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 14 African countries, with the ultimate aim of supporting millions of jobs on the continent.
The three-year programme, launched through a memorandum of understanding signed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, will begin with a pilot in Ghana from September 2026 to June 2027, prioritising women-led enterprises before scaling across the region from 2027.
Focus on jobs, finance and inclusion
African small businesses account for the bulk of the continent’s employment,...