Support for SMES via ‘CBN Call for Proposals COVID-19’
The COVID-19 pandemic affected local economies including infrastructure service delivery. The effects of COVID-19 led to a lack of investment opportunities, employment, and low drive to household income generation.
The African Union Development Agency, AUDA-NEPAD collaborated with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) with funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to launch the Continental Business Network (CBN) Call for Proposals COVID-19: “Economic Recovery Through Infrastructure Service Delivery” in December 2020.
The CBN’s Call for Proposals COVID-19 initiative aimed at bridging infrastructure gaps by supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to combat the effects of COVID-19 and accelerate the implementation of small-scale infrastructure projects. Over 60 applications were received. After assessing all project applications, the following four projects were eligible to receive support from AUDA-NEPAD:
- Aquaethanol renewable energy project in Kenya,
- Cool Lion renewable energy project in Côte d’Ivoire,
- Tripesa, ICT project in Ghana, and
- Water Compass, water and sanitation project in Uganda.
The four SMEs small-scale projects were supported with financial modelling, business plans developments, and market packaging of business plans in the form of pitch decks to facilitate engagements with private sector investor to mobilize funds. To date, several private sector investors have shown interest in funding these projects. AUDA-NEPAD provided additional marketing support for these projects, this includes an online presence via the Virtual PIDA Information Centre and promotional videos through the support from GIZ.
The CBN public-private platform to facilitate access to private sector financing for regional infrastructure projects. The network provides an exclusive Infrastructure Investment advisory platform for collaboration with African Leaders. The CBN Call for Proposals COVID-19 form part of GIZ’s ongoing continued support to AUDA-NEPAD Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).