African financial institutions expand support for entrepreneurs and SMEs

The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) is expanding its outreach to increase access to development finance for women and youth entrepreneurs. Following a four-day stakeholder programme in the Omaheke, Kavango East, and Kavango West regions, the bank highlighted initiatives such as ‘DBN for Her’ and the national youth development fund to support sustainable business growth.

In a separate effort to bolster African commerce, Standard Bank has partnered with DHL to enhance the Export Readiness Programme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By integrating DHL’s GoTrade platform, the bank aims to provide SMEs with technical assistance, regulatory guidance, and logistics support to overcome barriers in cross-border trade. This initiative addresses the significant trade-finance gap in Africa and seeks to improve intra-African trade participation.