#Digital4MSME: using the market systems approach for digital transformation

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BEAM Grab the Mic webinar

Date: 5th October 2021

Speakers: 
Maximilian Schulz, Senior MSD Consultant
Eric Nana Kwabena Agyei, Managing Director, MobiPay Uganda
Laura-Kristin Baric, Technical Advisor, GIZ Ghana

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of most economies in Sub-Saharan Africa – and digitalisation is a key driver to strengthening their competitiveness and ability to create jobs.

This webinar explored the findings of GIZ’s #Digital4MSME guide on how programmes and implementers can refine and adapt fundamental MSD principles to unlock the potential of digital transformation for MSMEs. The work was commissioned by the DCED Working Group on MSD.

Digitalisation is often associated with the cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT). However, the report’s author, Maximilian Schulz, highlighted how the adoption of 'basic' technologies, such as emails, websites and office software packages can bring far-reaching and transformative changes for MSMEs.

Two case studies were presented:

  • COVID-19 SME innovation and digitalisation support scheme in Ghana
    This partnership supported the digital transformation of up to 500 SMEs in Ghana to strengthen their resilience during COVID-19 - to sustain jobs and improve their competitiveness. Laura Baric described its key activities - digital needs assessment, digital training, website development, software solutions - impacts and lessons learnt.
  • Mobipay in Uganda - digitising agribusiness
    Digitising agribusiness presents challenges that call for a hybrid of technological innovation and a human-centred approach. Eric Agyei showed how MobiPay used technology to enable the delivery of sustainable services in agribusiness.

Watch the webinar
 

Related webinar

You may also be interested in the Marketlinks webinar Inclusive Digital Transformation for SMEs in Developing Markets

 

#Digital4MSME

Using MSD for digital transformation in sub-Saharan Africa