Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa continue to face tighter lending conditions, higher collateral requirements, and limited access to formal trade finance despite evidence showing that their credit risk profile has remained relatively stable. According to a new African Development Bank (AfDB) report released in Brazzaville on May 27, SME-related default rates, averaging between…
South African small businesses continue to face pressure from persistently high and volatile fuel costs, with fluctuations at the pumps adding ongoing strain to already tight operating margins. Even with the temporary fuel price increase relief measures extended until the end of June 2026, this environment represents sustained financial pressure that extends far beyond fuel itself….
The AI cost for SMEs is rising rapidly, but for many South African businesses, the real challenge is not adoption—it’s achieving a clear return on investment. With nearly 60% of African businesses prepared to commit over $50 million to AI initiatives in 2026 according to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), investment appetite is clearly rising….
The Marketing Data Platform combines AI-powered market intelligence, first-party data and omnichannel activation to help SMEs analyze market trends and historical campaign performance, turning insights into audiences and increasingly targeted future actions. Microsoft and Postel, a Poste Italiane Group company, announce an evolution of their collaboration and of the agreements they have signed for the…
What if small businesses could advertise like big brands? Prism, a soon-to-launch self-service platform designed to simplify digital out-of-home (DOOH) media for small businesses, is hosting a pre-launch competition that aims to put SMEs on the map. It’s 7am, and Viktor is unlocking the doors to his coffee shop for the day. He knows his…
Core has launched a Microsoft Surface Reseller Programme aimed at expanding opportunities for small and mid-sized IT resellers in South Africa. The programme gives partners access to Surface for Business devices, along with training, technical support and sales enablement to help them grow their operations. It forms part of a broader push to strengthen the…
Samsung invites skilled service centre SMEs in mobile device and/or consumer electronic repairs to join its EEIP initiative. Samsung South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), is inviting black-owned small businesses in the service centre market to participate in its Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP). This follows last year’s…
Samsung, in partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), has launched a new campaign to attract Black-owned service centre SMEs to its Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP). The initiative forms part of the company’s enterprise development programme and builds on a previous campaign that targeted both ICT and service centre businesses. The…
The fund leverages Endeavor’s global network to provide portfolio companies with mentorship, talent, strategic guidance and market access. Endeavor South Africa has closed its Harvest Fund III at R230 million, aiming to accelerate growth, job creation and exits in the country’s high-growth technology sector. According to a statement, the fund brings together entrepreneurs and institutional…
There was a time when having an IT department, or at least a trusted technician on call, signalled that a business had found its footing. Servers sat in back rooms. Software lived on individual machines. Updates were disruptive. Security was reactive. That model no longer holds For many South African small and medium enterprises, that…
