FLTR - Nedbank Namibia Head of SME, Sam Ikela; and Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) Executive Director for MSME Development, Innovation and Acceleration, Dino Ballotti. Photo Contributed
FLTR - Nedbank Namibia Head of SME, Sam Ikela; and Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) Executive Director for MSME Development, Innovation and Acceleration, Dino Ballotti. Photo Contributed

Nedbank Namibia and NIPDB unite forces

Propelling MSMEs to success
Nedbank has pledged a generous sponsorship of N$100 000 to the High Potential Pool.
Phillepus Uusiku
In an era that seeks to propel small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the forefront of economic recovery, Nedbank Namibia and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) have forged a remarkable partnership to supercharge this vital sector. By sponsoring the transformative High Potential Pool initiative, Nedbank Namibia manifests its unwavering commitment to fostering SME development in the country.

According to Nedbank Namibia’s Head of SME’s, Sam Ikela, "Nedbank Namibia firmly believes that integrating SMEs into the mainstream economy is crucial for our nation's economic recovery."

This corporate ethos is crystallised in the bank's robust support for SMEs, offering loans from N$50 000 to N$10 million, and is further amplified through their sponsorship of the NIPDB High Potential Pool. This innovative program under the Know2Grow umbrella aims to expedite the growth trajectory of promising, export-ready Micro and Small businesses through international business linkages, trade missions and international trade fairs, coaching and mentoring and product testing, product certification and licensing, business model and process improvement where required.

The High Potential Pool offers qualifying members an invaluable package of opportunities for a period of 36 months. Nedbank has pledged a generous sponsorship of N$100 000 to the High Potential Pool, which will be officially handed over at an eagerly anticipated ceremony on 10 August 2023.

By tapping into international markets and harnessing the power of global connections, these businesses can truly realise their growth potential. Nedbank's interest in sectors such as green hydrogen also means that MSMEs looking to contribute to the green energy transition can find strong support and guidance.

Future

“Through the High Potential Pool, the NIPDB aims to contribute towards the creation of a pool of MSMEs that are future-focused, resilient and playing an integral part in driving Namibia’s economy forward,” stated Dino Ballotti, Executive Director for MSME Development, Innovation and Acceleration at the NIPDB.

NIPDB's ambitious target is to empower 3 000 MSMEs by the end of this year. This collaboration with Nedbank forms an integral part of that vision, offering entrepreneurs the tools to grow their business and extend their influence across the MSME sector.

Currently, the High Potential Pool consists of approximately 60 MSMEs from across the country, representing various sectors including cosmetology, food processing and manufacturing, amongst others.

More than 20 export-ready MSMEs have already benefited from this initiative by being selected to participate in international events related to investment promotion, such as the Annual Investment Meeting held in Abu Dhabi in May this year and the Africa's Big 7 exhibition held in Johannesburg in June this year.

Participation

A group of 12 MSMEs have also been selected to participate in the Intra-Africa Trade Fair’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) scheduled for November 2023 in Cairo.

“With this financial investment from Nedbank Namibia, we will be able to increase the membership of the High Potential Pool, and thus assist more businesses to grow; and as they expand their operation, they will in turn be able to create more jobs for Namibia, thus making economic prosperity a reality for our people,” said Ballotti.

"We invite all qualifying MSMEs to sign up for the High Potential Pool. This opportunity, presented by NIPDB and backed by Nedbank, is a golden ticket to expanding your business," urges Ikela.

In a landscape where SMEs are becoming pivotal components of the national economy, Nedbank Namibia's strategic alignment with initiatives like Know2Grow ensures they stand as a steadfast ally for SMEs. As Nedbank continues to weave the future narrative of SME growth in Namibia, it remains dedicated to building a prosperous, SME-driven economy. This partnership with NIPDB, combined with the insightful leadership of Ikela, signals a bright future for the SME landscape in Namibia.

Interested MSMEs are encouraged to contact [email protected].

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Premier League: Manchester United 3 vs 2 Newcastle | Brighton 1 vs 2 Chelsea | Tottenham Hotspur 0 vs 2 Manchester City LaLiga: Real Sociedad 1 vs 0 Valencia | Almería 0 vs 2 Barcelona | Las Palmas 2 vs 2 Real Betis | Celta Vigo 2 vs 1 Athletic Club | Getafe 0 vs 3 Atletico Madrid | Sevilla 0 vs 1 Cadiz | Rayo Vallecano 2 vs 1 Granada | Girona 0 vs 1 Villarreal | Real Madrid 5 vs 0 Deportivo Alaves | Osasuna 1 vs 1 Mallorca European Championships Qualifying: Leeds United 4 vs 0 Norwich City English Championship: Leeds United 4 vs 0 Norwich City Katima Mulilo: 11° | 31° Rundu: 11° | 30° Eenhana: 11° | 31° Oshakati: 12° | 30° Ruacana: 12° | 31° Tsumeb: 13° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 11° | 27° Omaruru: 11° | 30° Windhoek: 11° | 26° Gobabis: 12° | 27° Henties Bay: 19° | 35° Wind speed: 35km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 05:49, High tide: 12:03, Low Tide: 17:43, High tide: 00:16 Swakopmund: 20° | 26° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 05:47, High tide: 12:01, Low Tide: 17:41, High tide: 00:14 Walvis Bay: 23° | 33° Wind speed: 28km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 05:47, High tide: 12:00, Low Tide: 17:41, High tide: 00:13 Rehoboth: 12° | 27° Mariental: 15° | 29° Keetmanshoop: 17° | 29° Aranos: 15° | 28° Lüderitz: 20° | 32° Ariamsvlei: 16° | 30° Oranjemund: 15° | 25° Luanda: 24° | 27° Gaborone: 16° | 30° Lubumbashi: 11° | 27° Mbabane: 13° | 22° Maseru: 9° | 23° Antananarivo: 12° | 27° Lilongwe: 15° | 28° Maputo: 19° | 28° Windhoek: 11° | 26° Cape Town: 15° | 22° Durban: 17° | 23° Johannesburg: 15° | 24° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 32° Lusaka: 14° | 27° Harare: 13° | 26° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.02 | EUR to NAD 19.73 | CNY to NAD 2.51 | USD to NAD 18.16 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.3 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.71 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.54 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.35 | USD to AOA 847.42 | USD to BWP 13.49 | USD to EGP 46.86 | USD to KES 130.48 | USD to NGN 1467 | USD to ZAR 18.15 | USD to ZMW 25.45 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 79530.63 Up +0.03% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1754.58 Up +0.81% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13411.39 Down -0.07% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 26142.84 Up +3.27% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9151.06 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 418.07/OZ UP +1.69% | Copper US$ 5.04/lb UP +4.03% | Zinc US$ 3 059.30/T UP 0.11% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.28/BBP UP +0.60% | Platinum US$ 1 089.03/OZ UP +2.58% Sport results: Premier League: Manchester United 3 vs 2 Newcastle | Brighton 1 vs 2 Chelsea | Tottenham Hotspur 0 vs 2 Manchester City LaLiga: Real Sociedad 1 vs 0 Valencia | Almería 0 vs 2 Barcelona | Las Palmas 2 vs 2 Real Betis | Celta Vigo 2 vs 1 Athletic Club | Getafe 0 vs 3 Atletico Madrid | Sevilla 0 vs 1 Cadiz | Rayo Vallecano 2 vs 1 Granada | Girona 0 vs 1 Villarreal | Real Madrid 5 vs 0 Deportivo Alaves | Osasuna 1 vs 1 Mallorca European Championships Qualifying: Leeds United 4 vs 0 Norwich City English Championship: Leeds United 4 vs 0 Norwich City Weather: Katima Mulilo: 11° | 31° Rundu: 11° | 30° Eenhana: 11° | 31° Oshakati: 12° | 30° Ruacana: 12° | 31° Tsumeb: 13° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 11° | 27° Omaruru: 11° | 30° Windhoek: 11° | 26° Gobabis: 12° | 27° Henties Bay: 19° | 35° Wind speed: 35km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 05:49, High tide: 12:03, Low Tide: 17:43, High tide: 00:16 Swakopmund: 20° | 26° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 05:47, High tide: 12:01, Low Tide: 17:41, High tide: 00:14 Walvis Bay: 23° | 33° Wind speed: 28km/h, Wind direction: E, Low tide: 05:47, High tide: 12:00, Low Tide: 17:41, High tide: 00:13 Rehoboth: 12° | 27° Mariental: 15° | 29° Keetmanshoop: 17° | 29° Aranos: 15° | 28° Lüderitz: 20° | 32° Ariamsvlei: 16° | 30° Oranjemund: 15° | 25° Luanda: 24° | 27° Gaborone: 16° | 30° Lubumbashi: 11° | 27° Mbabane: 13° | 22° Maseru: 9° | 23° Antananarivo: 12° | 27° Lilongwe: 15° | 28° Maputo: 19° | 28° Windhoek: 11° | 26° Cape Town: 15° | 22° Durban: 17° | 23° Johannesburg: 15° | 24° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 32° Lusaka: 14° | 27° Harare: 13° | 26° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.02 | EUR to NAD 19.73 | CNY to NAD 2.51 | USD to NAD 18.16 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.3 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.71 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.54 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.35 | USD to AOA 847.42 | USD to BWP 13.49 | USD to EGP 46.86 | USD to KES 130.48 | USD to NGN 1467 | USD to ZAR 18.15 | USD to ZMW 25.45 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 79530.63 Up +0.03% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1754.58 Up +0.81% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13411.39 Down -0.07% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 26142.84 Up +3.27% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9151.06 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 418.07/OZ UP +1.69% | Copper US$ 5.04/lb UP +4.03% | Zinc US$ 3 059.30/T UP 0.11% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 84.28/BBP UP +0.60% | Platinum US$ 1 089.03/OZ UP +2.58%