Bankers to visit SMEs in Windhoek

EXECUTIVES of local financial institutions will next week tour small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in Windhoek, so as to get closer to home understanding of the sector.

The tour organised by SMEs Compete, will see executives from the Namibian Stock Exchange, leading commercial banks, the insurance sector and asset management firms visit SMEs conducting their business in Prosperita, Katutura, Okuryangava, the city centre and at the SMEs Incubation Centre. SMEs Compete – a USAID/Namibia funded programme – revealed that the tour was prompted by continuous queries from the SME sector on whether ‘senior management of financial institutions and other services providers are actually aware of our existence, or of how competitive Namibia’s SME sector has become’.The organisation’s General Manager, Danny Meyer, said it was important to have such an event at a time when most commercial banks had established departments specifically catering for the needs of SMEs and also for the other financial service providers to get a feel of the small business sector.Claudine Mouton of SMEs Compete said SMEs to be visited would be those who have been participating in various capacity building activities.”These have an interesting story to tell but more importantly can demonstrate in a practical manner their contribution to Namibia’s economy,” said Mouton.SMEs Compete – a USAID/Namibia funded programme – revealed that the tour was prompted by continuous queries from the SME sector on whether ‘senior management of financial institutions and other services providers are actually aware of our existence, or of how competitive Namibia’s SME sector has become’.The organisation’s General Manager, Danny Meyer, said it was important to have such an event at a time when most commercial banks had established departments specifically catering for the needs of SMEs and also for the other financial service providers to get a feel of the small business sector.Claudine Mouton of SMEs Compete said SMEs to be visited would be those who have been participating in various capacity building activities.”These have an interesting story to tell but more importantly can demonstrate in a practical manner their contribution to Namibia’s economy,” said Mouton.