Financing Africa’s SME Value Chains: Linking Enterprises, Markets, and Finance at AFIS 2025, an Alliance for Entrepreneurship in Africa (AforE) side event co-hosted by AfDB, Proparco, and IFC, brought together a diverse group of leaders from finance, investment, and industry to accelerate sustainable growth across the continent. The event featured a review of the Alliance’s recent milestones, an exploration of its future direction, and robust panel discussions highlighting the Alliance’s vital role in building more dynamic, resilient SME ecosystems.

Key topics included the pressing SME funding gap—impacting more than 210 million enterprises in Africa—and the pivotal role of value chains in scaling both financial and non-financial solutions. The event also challenged common assumptions around SME finance, showcased innovative approaches such as blended finance and fintech, and underscored the importance of collaborative action among all Alliance members to unlock greater opportunities for SMEs across the region.