Bangui, 7 May 2026 (ECA) — In the Central African Republic, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain at the heart of economic activity, driving production, employment and local value creation across key sectors including agribusiness, timber processing, handicrafts, textiles and services. Yet despite their economic significance and entrepreneurial dynamism, many SMEs continue to face structural barriers to growth, foremost among them limited access to finance.
For many businesses, constrained financing conditions continue to undermine investment capacity, business expansion and market competitiveness. This challenge has become increasingly critical as the Central African Republic advances its economic diversification agenda under the National Development Plan 2024–2028 and seeks to position itself within emerging subregional and continental value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
It is against this backdrop that the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Subregional Office for Central Africa, in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry for SMEs, and the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Central African Republic, will convene a high-level capacity-building workshop in Bangui from 19 to 21 May 2026 aimed at strengthening SME access to financing mechanisms and investment opportunities.
The three-day workshop will bring together around thirty SMEs, financial institutions, public administrations and development partners to address one of the most persistent constraints affecting private sector development in the country: the disconnect between enterprise financing needs and the operational requirements of financial institutions.
“Central African Republic SMEs possess significant potential to integrate regional value chains and leverage the opportunities created by the AfCFTA. Unlocking this potential requires stronger financial inclusion, enhanced investment readiness and more effective alignment between entrepreneurs and financing institutions,” said Ghitu-I Mundunge, Head of the operational unit for economic diversification policies and reforms at ECA Subregional Office for Central Africa.
The workshop will provide participating enterprises with practical exposure to the financing landscape currently available in the Central African Republic, including commercial banking instruments, guarantee schemes and financing windows offered by institutions such as the African Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation.
Participants will also strengthen their capacities in the preparation of bankable business plans, financial analysis, credit application procedures and investment pitching. Particular attention will be given to the recurrent technical weaknesses that often limit SME eligibility for financing.
Beyond technical training, the initiative forms part of a broader strategic effort led by ECA and national stakeholders to position SMEs as a central pillar of structural transformation, productive diversification and regional economic integration in the Central African Republic.
The workshop builds on a process initiated in 2025 that has already contributed to the identification of national priorities and the development of a more structured framework for supporting SMEs and regional value chains in the country.
Media Queries
Zacharie Roger MBARGA - Communications Officer
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
637, rue 3.069, Quartier du Lac, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Tel: (+237) 222504348
E-mail: zacharie.mbargayene@un.org
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org