Many businesses default to bank loans when they are squeezed financially. But the stringent requirements by the banks and the high interest rate on such loans remain a big challenge that small and medium businesses sometimes find hard to surmount. Fluctuating currency exchange rates and inflation trends have further compounded SMEs’ ability to access cheap funding for their operations. It has therefore become apparent that businesses look beyond the commercial banks for their funding needs.
Meanwhile, the finance opportunities available at the stock exchange are not restricted to large businesses. Structured small-medium enterprises need funding to navigate the teething challenges in the early growth stages. Considering how the economy is holding up and the cautious approach of traditional lenders to small businesses, it is time to explore the capital market in a bid to access long-term finance to take advantage of emerging market opportunities.
In fact, there are tailored platforms that meet the capital needs of the SME sector on the floor of the stock exchange. The Growth Board on the NGX provides an alternative route for well-structured small businesses with potential for growth to list on the exchange. Businesses of all sizes can list on the stock exchange to access cheap and long-term tenured equity or capital from the capital market.
As businesses reopen fully for economic activities, and the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement gathers pace, there is hardly a better time for businesses to access the opportunities available on the stock exchange to raise cheap long-term capital for their operations.