Access to market intelligence, finance, trade information, and market requirements are vital to deepening intra-Africa trade among SMEs, according to Tokunbo Chiedu, CEO, Compass Global.

Chiedu in a statement in Lagos said that this was important to foster new business opportunities, through business linkages and engagements.

She said that these were critical as the region approaches the unfolding of the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

According to her, the company’s Female Leaders and Entrepreneurs Conference (FLEC) which held in Ghana in November addressed issues of trade and AfCFTA, corporate governance, and access to finance and financial planning.

She said that the event showcased success stories of innovative African brands, while focusing on lessons learnt, thought leadership, and building resilience in the post pandemic era.

Read also: Digitally excluded Nigerians drop from 40m to 15m

Chiedu noted that the company had tagged FLEC 2022, “The Year of Resilience, saying that it would provide more support to empower SMEs across all sectors.

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According to her, FLEC is designed to provide our audience with experiential learning, and powerful tools; a means through which to promote personal or organisational empowerment.

She said that the company would continue to work with other strategic, and regional partners, to showcase Africa’s brightest minds.

Chiedu disclosed that the intiative would move to Kenya and other key markets in 2022.

She quoted Ernest Boatey, Chief Technical Adviser, Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs, as saying that AfCFTA would enable SMEs to create value within their immediate environment and expand internationally.

Also, Leticia Adelaide Appiah, executive director, Office of the President, National Population Council, Ghana, stressed the importance of digitalisation to SMEs.

Appiah said automation would help in reducing production cost, and enabling faster production; whilst providing customers with the same goods at lower cost.

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By Iheanyi Nwachukwu • December 20, 2021

Hope Moses-Ashike is an Associate Editor, Banking and Finance, with more than a decade of experience reporting on Nigeria’s financial system and broader economy. She closely tracks market movements, monetary policy decisions, company disclosures, regulatory actions, economic indicators, and global developments, and interprets what they mean for businesses, investors, policymakers, and households. Her reporting helps readers understand complex issues such as inflation trends, foreign exchange market dynamics, interest rate decisions, bank performance, and investment risks. She also covers major international events and periodically travels to Washington, D.C., to report on the World Bank/IMF Spring and Annual Meetings. Her dedication to financial journalism has earned her multiple recognitions and invitations to high-level professional development programmes. She is an alumna of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) in the United States and holds an Advanced Financial Journalism Certificate from the Press Association Training in London, UK. Her other notable achievements include completing the Lagos Business School CMC Programme, the Bloomberg Media Africa Initiative Programme, and a Master Class in Journalism at Rhodes University in South Africa.

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