The 430 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as well as the 960 young Congolese entrepreneurs supported under the Business Plan Competition (COPA) program have experienced real success by generating an additional turnover of 29.7 million dollars, according to the report of the PADMPME Coordination Unit. These encouraging results were revealed during a restitution workshop organized recently.
Among the participating SMEs, 112 of them succeeded in moving from the category of Small Enterprises to that of Medium Enterprises thanks to their support within the framework of the programme. These SMEs have also managed to create more than 2,151 jobs in various productive sectors, including 45% in the agro-industry sector. In addition, 170 of them were able to mobilize additional bank financing for a total amount of more than 1.4 million dollars.
As for young entrepreneurs, the results are also positive with additional sales of $7 million. Thanks to the technical and financial support of the UCP/consortium, 70% of these young entrepreneurs have been able to formalize their activity and 95% have benefited from a first tranche of State subsidy, of which 75% have already launched their production. In total, these young entrepreneurs created 1,938 jobs, 36% of which were in the agribusiness sector.
These results were welcomed by the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), Mzinga Birihanze, who underlined the importance of rethinking support strategies for businesses and SMEs on the part of technical and financial partners of the DRC.
It should be noted that the total financing granted to SMEs and young entrepreneurs under the program amounts to 45 million dollars. This program, launched by the Congolese Government and subsidized by the World Bank, aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial capacities of young people and SMEs, to improve the growth and performance of SMEs, to create a new generation of local entrepreneurs in the industrial transformation, as well as contributing to the creation of stable jobs and the consolidation of existing jobs.
In conclusion, the results of the COPA program in the DRC are very encouraging with SMEs and young entrepreneurs who generate significant additional turnover and contribute to job creation. This program is a real lever for the country’s economic development and deserves to be supported and strengthened