Context
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Benin have a hard time successfully expanding their business. They often lack knowledge relating to crucial topics such as business planning, product development, marketing and digitalisation. It is also difficult for companies to find and train suitable employees.
There are currently few support and advisory services for MSMEs, and the ones that do exist are often not very helpful. This means that it is hardly possible for businesses to fully harness their potential. As a result, many people in the country either cannot find work or are employed in jobs with low productivity.
Objective
MSMEs in Benin succeed in growing and hiring new employees.
Approach
The project supports governmental institutions and private agencies in improving the training, support and consulting services available to businesses, which are then able to expand their technical and entrepreneurial expertise.
The business counselling for MSMEs is based on the proven SME Business Training and Coaching Loop (SME Loop) approach. The approach assists MSMEs in assessing and improving their management, accounting, marketing and customer relations.
The project also works with national and international service providers to support MSME with personnel planning so they can find, retain and train employees. In addition, the project organises exchange formats that are designed to bring companies into contact with job centres, training institutions and jobseekers, for example, so that they can become more attuned to the companies’ skilled labour needs.