Limited access to finance, weak infrastructure and difficulties entering new markets continue to constrain the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa, with businesses seeking to expand beyond their domestic markets facing additional barriers to cross-border trade and investment.

These challenges are shaping the agenda of the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan-Atlantic University, as it prepares to take its yearly SME Conference beyond Nigeria for its 20th edition.

Scheduled to be held in Lagos from November 16 to 17, the conference is expected to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and business support organisations from more than 10 African countries.

According to the organisers, small businesses continue to face difficulties securing investment, reaching new customers, adopting technology and navigating regulatory requirements despite their importance to economic activity.

These constraints can limit their ability to compete in larger markets and build sustainable operations beyond their immediate environments.

The conference, now renamed the Pan-African SME Conference, will focus on how stronger collaboration among businesses, financial institutions, investors, technology providers and governments can improve access to these opportunities.

Speaking on the decision to extend the conference beyond Nigeria, EDC’s Head of Alumni Engagement and Support Services, Dr Nnenna Ugwu, said the challenges facing small businesses require solutions beyond national boundaries.

“Twenty years ago, we set out to create a space where Nigerian entrepreneurs could learn, connect and be heard. That space has grown, and so have the businesses in it. But the challenges our SMEs face do not stop at our borders, and neither should the solutions,” she said.

Ugwu said the next phase would focus on building platforms that support businesses across the continent and ensure that discussions translate into practical outcomes.

The two-day conference will examine access to finance, investment readiness, infrastructure, policy, women and youth entrepreneurship, technology and business expansion. Discussions will also cover artificial intelligence, financial technology and intra-African trade.