The International Trade Centre, in collaboration with the East African Community, is launching a comprehensive support programme designed to strengthen small and medium enterprises across East Africa. As part of the Market Access Upgrade Programme Phase II funded by the European Union, this six-month initiative aims to enhance the capacity of SMEs to access finance and build meaningful connections with financial institutions and investors.
This programme represents a significant opportunity for qualifying businesses to transform their financial management capabilities, strengthen their investment readiness, and forge valuable relationships within the financing ecosystem. Through structured support and expert guidance, participating SMEs will be equipped to pursue external funding opportunities and scale their operations sustainably.
The six-month programme provides comprehensive support across three interconnected core areas, each designed to address critical challenges that SMEs face when seeking to access finance and grow their businesses.
The first pillar focuses on strengthening the foundational elements that make businesses attractive to investors and financial institutions. Participants will develop robust financial management systems, learn to present their business cases effectively, and build the internal capacity necessary to manage external funding responsibly. This component ensures that SMEs are not only able to secure financing but also equipped to utilize it effectively for sustainable growth.
Beyond building internal capacity, the programme actively connects participating SMEs with relevant financial institutions and potential investors. These facilitated linkages go beyond simple introductions, creating meaningful relationships based on mutual understanding of business needs and financing opportunities. By bridging the gap between SMEs and the financing community, the programme addresses one of the most significant barriers to business growth in the region.
The third pillar provides practical, hands-on guidance throughout the financing process. Transaction advisory support helps SMEs navigate the complexities of securing external funding, from initial discussions through to deal closure. This ongoing support ensures that businesses can effectively translate their improved readiness and new connections into actual financing outcomes.
The programme targets SMEs operating across six East African countries, each representing dynamic markets with significant growth potential. Eligible countries include Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Kenya. This regional approach reflects the integrated nature of the East African economy and the opportunities for cross-border business development.
From a sectoral perspective, the programme focuses on value chains with strong export potential and significant contributions to regional economies. Eligible sectors include coffee, tea, cocoa, avocado, leather, gum arabic, french beans, essential oils, and packaging. These value chains represent strategic priorities for East African economic development and offer substantial opportunities for SME growth and international market access.
To qualify for programme participation, SMEs must meet several specific criteria designed to ensure that support goes to businesses with genuine growth potential and readiness to benefit from the intervention.
Applicants must be legally registered and operational in one of the six target countries.
This requirement ensures that participating businesses have established their formal presence and are operating within recognized legal frameworks, providing a foundation for sustainable business relationships with financial institutions.
Businesses must operate in at least one of the listed value chains. This focus ensures that programme resources concentrate on sectors with strategic importance to the East African economy and strong potential for international market access.
Applicants must have been in business for a minimum of two years. This requirement indicates that the business has moved beyond the startup phase and has established operations, making it better positioned to absorb financing and achieve sustainable growth.
Having financial statements for the last two years is a mandatory requirement. This documentation demonstrates financial discipline and provides the foundation for investment readiness activities. It also ensures that businesses can engage meaningfully with financial institutions that require historical financial information for decision-making.
Applicants must demonstrate an annual revenue of minimum US$ 80,000. This threshold ensures that participating businesses have achieved a certain scale and revenue generation capacity that makes them viable candidates for external financing and justifies the investment in their capacity development.
Perhaps most importantly, applicants must be genuinely interested and committed to raising external funding for their business over the next 12 months. This commitment ensures that programme resources support businesses with immediate financing needs and real intention to pursue funding opportunities.
The programme has limited availability, reflecting the intensive nature of the support provided to each participating SME. Selection will be conducted on a rolling basis, meaning applications will be reviewed as they are received rather than all at once at the programme deadline. This approach encourages early submission and allows the programme to begin working with qualified businesses as soon as possible.
Given the rolling selection process, interested SMEs are strongly encouraged to submit their applications early rather than waiting until the deadline. Early submission increases the likelihood of securing a place in the programme before available slots are filled.
Interested SMEs should submit their Expression of Interest through the dedicated online application form. The form will collect essential information about your business, including legal registration details, financial performance, sectoral focus, and financing objectives. Applicants should prepare relevant documentation, including business registration documents and recent financial statements, to support their application.
The application deadline is November 24, 2025. However, given the rolling selection process, submission well before this date is advisable.
For additional information about the programme, eligibility criteria, application requirements, or any other questions, applicants can contact the Access to Finance and Investment team directly at financing@intracen.org. The team is available to provide clarification and guidance throughout the application process.
This initiative represents more than just technical support for individual businesses. By strengthening the investment readiness of East African SMEs and facilitating their connections with the financing ecosystem, the programme contributes to broader economic development goals in the region. Participating businesses gain not only immediate support but also lasting capacity and relationships that will serve them well beyond the six-month programme period.
For qualifying SMEs committed to growth and ready to pursue external financing, this programme offers a valuable opportunity to accelerate their development trajectory. The combination of capacity building, relationship facilitation, and transaction support addresses the multiple barriers that often prevent promising businesses from accessing the finance they need to scale.
The programme reflects the European Union’s ongoing commitment to supporting private sector development in East Africa and the International Trade Centre’s expertise in helping businesses access markets and finance. Through this partnership with the East African Community, the initiative leverages regional knowledge and networks to maximize its impact on participating SMEs.
Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your business and access the financing needed for growth. Submit your Expression of Interest before November 24, 2025.
For more information: financing@intracen.org
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