SMEDAN African Small Business Catalyst Programme ($100,000 MSME Grant) For Nigerians and Other African Countries

SMEDAN African Small Business Catalyst Programme ($100,000 MSME Grant) For Nigerians and Other African Countries

The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria  (SMEDAN) has announced a $100,000 grant opportunity for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria and Africa in general, African Small Business Catalyst Programme (ASBC).

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About African Small Business Catalyst Programme (ASBC)

The United States launched the initiative aiming at accelerating the growth of small businesses in Nigeria and other African countries. The initiative is aimed at giving grants and offering technical assistance to MSMEs up to the tune of $100,000.

This programme will cover agriculture and food security, education, healthcare, sanitation, and hygiene as well as addressing climate change and gender equity.

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) have launched the African Small Business Catalyst (ASBC) to bolster early growth-stage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in sub-Saharan Africa.

ASBC is a business accelerator that supports SMEs with loans ranging from USD$100,000 to USD$1 million and offers technical assistance (TA) and grants up to USD$100,000. ASBC targets SMEs in sub-Saharan African countries within the agriculture, food security, healthcare, and education sectors, as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) with special consideration to SMEs that tackle the climate crisis and address gender equity considerations through their work.

ASBC assists its partners with capital/grants, mentoring, training, and TA to help them develop their business models, strengthen their management skills, expand their market reach, and deepen their impact

Interested and qualified businesses are encouraged to apply through the ASBC Application Portal  https://usadf.gov/asbc.

Businesses Targetted in the Africa Small Business Catalyst (ASBC) Programme

ASBC targets SMEs in sub-Saharan African countries within the agriculture & food security, education, healthcare, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sectors. Special consideration will be given to SMEs that address climate and gender.

How Africa Small Business Catalyst (ASBC) Accelerator Program Works

ASBC will provide grants up to USD$100,000 (total per SME), in addition to investment capital.

Successful applicants will also be paired with one of USADF’s mentoring and management training partners for a 6–12-month intensive program.

A technical assistance (TA) plan will be drawn-up and specific support designed around your needs and arranged with experts/consultants.

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How to Apply for the African Small Business Catalyst (ASBC) Programme

The application process for the African Small Business Catalyst (ASBC) Programme is simple but technical. This can be achieved by following the guidelines below:

1. Open https://usadf.gov/program-application-form

2. Complete the Business Profile Section

3. Fill out other parts of the form by responding to the questionnaire on the form.

4. Click Submit

5. Check your e-mail for acknowledgment and always check your mail for follow-up.