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By Stephen Atone Ngomani
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Zimbabwe has announced plans to launch a nationwide outreach programme aimed at assessing challenges affecting businesses and strengthening support systems for entrepreneurs across the country.
The initiative will involve engagements with cooperatives, government departments, financial institutions, and large corporations to evaluate the effectiveness of existing support mechanisms and identify areas requiring improvement.
The outreach programme comes at a time when SMEs continue to play a significant role in Zimbabwe’s economy, providing employment opportunities and contributing to economic growth.
Speaking to MSU Radio, Midlands Province Chairperson for SMEs Zimbabwe, Bigboy Murenga, said the programme seeks to ensure that entrepreneurs benefit from policies and programmes designed to support the sector.
“The government has introduced a number of policies and legal frameworks aimed at supporting SMEs. However, many entrepreneurs are not fully benefiting from these initiatives due to implementation gaps. Our outreach programme seeks to engage stakeholders and ensure that these policies translate into tangible benefits for businesses,” said Murenga.
Murenga noted that SMEs Zimbabwe will conduct consultations in different provinces to gather firsthand information on the challenges affecting entrepreneurs.
“We want to hear directly from business owners about the obstacles they are facing. Whether it is access to finance, markets, infrastructure, or regulatory challenges, we want to understand these issues and work towards practical solutions,” he said.
He added that the organisation would also engage financial institutions to encourage the development of more accessible financing products tailored to the needs of SMEs.
“SMEs are among the largest employers in Zimbabwe and have immense potential to drive economic development. It is therefore important that all stakeholders play their part in creating an environment that allows these businesses to thrive,” Murenga said.
The outreach programme is expected to provide recommendations that will help strengthen the sector and improve the operating environment for small businesses nationwide.
The initiative will involve engagements with cooperatives, government departments, financial institutions, and large corporations to evaluate the effectiveness of existing support mechanisms and identify areas requiring improvement.
The outreach programme comes at a time when SMEs continue to play a significant role in Zimbabwe’s economy, providing employment opportunities and contributing to economic growth.
Speaking to MSU Radio, Midlands Province Chairperson for SMEs Zimbabwe, Bigboy Murenga, said the programme seeks to ensure that entrepreneurs benefit from policies and programmes designed to support the sector.
“The government has introduced a number of policies and legal frameworks aimed at supporting SMEs. However, many entrepreneurs are not fully benefiting from these initiatives due to implementation gaps. Our outreach programme seeks to engage stakeholders and ensure that these policies translate into tangible benefits for businesses,” said Murenga.
Murenga noted that SMEs Zimbabwe will conduct consultations in different provinces to gather firsthand information on the challenges affecting entrepreneurs.
“We want to hear directly from business owners about the obstacles they are facing. Whether it is access to finance, markets, infrastructure, or regulatory challenges, we want to understand these issues and work towards practical solutions,” he said.
He added that the organisation would also engage financial institutions to encourage the development of more accessible financing products tailored to the needs of SMEs.
“SMEs are among the largest employers in Zimbabwe and have immense potential to drive economic development. It is therefore important that all stakeholders play their part in creating an environment that allows these businesses to thrive,” Murenga said.
The outreach programme is expected to provide recommendations that will help strengthen the sector and improve the operating environment for small businesses nationwide.
Published
June 11, 2026 at 8:07 AM
