Support and training for MSMEs incubated in Gabon (FAT-PRI)

Context and objectives

Supported by a grant from the Technical Assistance Fund for Middle-Income Countries (FAT-PRI), the Gabonese Republic asked the Belgian Bankers Academy (BBA) to design and pilot an MSME incubator.

Objective: to strengthen the viability of business plans and secure access to finance and public procurement.

1. Initial diagnosis and framing

• Meetings with Gabonese authorities and project leaders to define needs.

• Analysis of existing management practices and collection of financial, legal, and organizational data.

  
  

2. Design and deployment of incubation tools

• Integrated accounting system: specification, configuration, and training in management software adapted to incubatees.

• Tender document templates: creation of standardized templates, response guides, and submission procedures.

• Training kits: educational materials on management, business law, accounting, and taxation, interactive workshops, and individual coaching.

  
  

3. Field support and capitalization

• Group training sessions (30 hours per group): financial planning and bank negotiations.

• Investor forums: two meetings between project leaders and local and international financial institutions.

• Operational roadmap: final report detailing strategic recommendations, implementation schedule, and monitoring indicators (KPIs).

  
  

Key results

• More than 25 project leaders trained.

• Four consortiums of entrepreneurs formed to respond collectively to calls for tenders.

• 3 bankable applications submitted to credit institutions.

This mission laid the foundations for a sustainable incubation ecosystem in Gabon by strengthening project leaders' capacity to structure their business models and secure the financing essential for their development.