Businesses should be lendable

Takeaways from the Ndola Chamber of Commerce 'Date My Biz' B2B Conference and Expo

We attended the Ndola Chamber of Commerce Date my Biz Conference last week and had the opportunity to network with chamber members as well as other industry players and businesses in attendance.

The conference and EXPO provided networking, mentorship, and coaching opportunities to the businesses present and gave the business-support entities the opportunity to interact with enterprises in an open manner. It was refreshing to see organizations such as Prospero, ZDA, and ZRA commit to ensuring businesses are supported and given the tools they need to grow.

To help businesses grow in the region, the public and private sectors will need to continue working together. As a bank, we are committed to assisting MSME growth in accordance with the government's goal of driving economic growth and transformation through MSME growth. We will continue to perceive ourselves as an intuitive growth partner who goes beyond financial assistance; we are also eager to provide technical assistance to firms of all sizes.

The message to MSME's at the EXPO highlighted the challenges SMS's face while offering solutions through our lending product that caters to short, medium, and long term financing, technical help that caters to financial literacy, and our conscious efforts as a bank to engage local suppliers for banking needs where possible.

There are numerous prospects for MSME to grow, and they must ensure that they are lendable through record keeping, prudent borrowing, and pursuing sustainable growth. The function of Chambers of Commerce cannot be overstated since it allows businesses to have access to the business community in a way that prepares them for continued learning and growth.

Businesses are encouraged to establish governance structures in order to be evaluated for opportunities available from business support agencies such as Prospero, ZDA, and indeed commercial banks. Our doors are open to businesses looking to start, run and grow for both financial and technical support where possible.