A listening and caring partner for businesses

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are often described as engines for economic growth, as they play an important role in creating jobs, expanding the tax base, driving innovation and enhancing competition, which contribute to overall economic productivity. 

However, the entrepreneurship journey is not easy and for MSMEs to start and thrive, they require an appropriate financial partner who will guide them and avail solutions that are aligned to their business needs and expansion strategies. 

Equity, the number one bank in the region, has positioned itself not just as a bank, but as a listening and caring partner that curates products and services which support MSMEs and offers financial advisory services and market linkages through working with various institutions. 

MSMEs banking with Equity have access to 190 branches countrywide, including 18 Supreme branches and a Diaspora Banking Unit, and five other regional banking subsidiaries in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan and DRC. Together, the various bank networks work in tandem to support enterprises run their businesses efficiently. The branch networks ensure that these MSMEs can bank from any location locally and internationally. 

Besides the traditional banking outlets, Equity continues to invest in innovation and technology and has established MSME-specific banking platforms and other solutions that drive efficiency and reduce the cost of operation. One such platform is EazzyBiz, a robust, secure and comprehensive Cash and Liquidity Management solution that allows MSMEs to make and receive payments, manage their cash and liquidity, and allows them to seamlessly integrate their bank accounts with their internal finance and HR systems, making is easy for them to manage their day-to-day business operations. 

Another innovative platform is the One Equity Till Number, which offers merchants an enhanced and centralised digital payment solution that allows them to receive payments from one single till number from all networks, including M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Pesalink, Equitel and Equity Mobile, among others. The beauty of both EazzyBiz and the One Equity Till Number is that your transaction count builds your transaction history and account activity, allowing MSMEs to access affordable credit facilities with flexible repayment terms. 

Business entrepreneurs can access both short-term and long-term credit facilities that allow them to boost business operations, including bank overdrafts, working capital loans, letters of credit, LPO financing, Insurance Premium Financing (IPF), asset financing and construction loans, among others. The financing amount is often based on the repayment capability and the tenure of the loans, enabling businesses to plan their repayment well, therefore manage their credit effectively. 

Equity has also remained intentional about going beyond financing to also offer extended services, including business coaching and mentorship and market linkage.

Just recently, over 350 Kenyan MSMEs travelled to the DRC and interacted with more than 2,000 business owners to explore trade and investment opportunities in Central Africa and the Great Lakes Region. The outcome of this was local businesses being matched to potential partners in DRC in support of scaling operations within the region.

Outside of the trade missions, the Bank is also keen on financing an MSMEs entire value chain supporting the other players within their ecosystem, therefore promoting industry-wide growth.

For instance, a business manufacturing biscuits can get financing from Equity and its suppliers of wheat flour and distributors of the final products can also get affordable financing based on the relationship Equity has with the ecosystem. This will ensure that the business is able to meet its production requirements as well as the market demands for the final product. 

So, if you run or own an MSME, talk to Equity and see how they can work with you to see your business grow, diversify and even expand regionally.