Description

Context and Objectives

Supported by a grant from the Technical Assistance Fund for Middle-Income Countries, FAT-PRI, the Gabonese Republic commissioned Belgian Bankers Academy, BBA, to design and manage a pilot incubator for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, MSMEs.

The objective was to significantly improve the viability and sustainability of local project promoters while facilitating their access to finance and to public and private procurement opportunities.

Component 1, Support to Entrepreneurs

Feasibility Studies

Technical, economic and legal assessment of business plans.

Capacity Development

• Training in accounting, financial and administrative management

• Practical workshops on organisational structuring and governance

Business Plan Modelling

• Development of models adaptable to the sector-specific characteristics of project promoters

• Multi-year financial projections to support discussions with donors and banks

Component 2, Facilitating Access to Finance and Markets

Preparation of Tender Applications

Development of standardised templates for responding to public and private procurement opportunities.

Guarantee and Risk-Mitigation Mechanisms

Design of a guarantee fund linked to the incubator, reducing the risk perceived by lenders.

Business Groupings and Partnerships

Support for the establishment of consortia to strengthen collective bidding capacity.

Investor Forums

Organisation of targeted meetings between entrepreneurs and national and international financiers.

Banking Negotiations

Individual support to project promoters in presenting their financing applications to financial institutions.

Methodology and Deliverables

• Participatory approach involving scoping meetings, field interviews and co-construction workshops

• Operational toolkit including practical guides, document templates and quality checklists

• Final report presenting the assessment findings, strategic recommendations and a detailed roadmap

• Monitoring platform including a KPI dashboard to measure post-incubation impact, including survival rate, turnover growth and access to finance

Key Results

• More than 20 MSMEs submitted bankable applications within three months

• Eight projects were selected by commercial banks, generating a financing leverage ratio of 1 to 3

• Beneficiary satisfaction with the relevance of the tools provided increased by 25%

This assignment laid the foundations for a sustainable incubation ecosystem in Gabon by strengthening the ability of project promoters to structure their business models and secure the financing required for their development.

BBA’s Role

• Definition, conceptualisation and documentation of business support services

• Preparation of standard tender application files to facilitate MSME access to public procurement

• Development of a bankable financing application model

• Establishment of a project guarantee and risk-mitigation mechanism

• Preparation and monitoring of the MSME monitoring plan

• Organisation of investor and entrepreneur forums