Held at the National Association of Cooperative Credit Union of The Gambia (NACCUG) complex in Bakau, the training was implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and funded through the EU Youth Empowerment Project – Tourism and Creative.
Lumana Kamashi from the European Union office said the programme was designed to strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of tourism and micro, small, and medium enterprises through practical, results-oriented support in marketing, branding, and business visibility.
She reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting initiatives that equip Gambian entrepreneurs with practical knowledge that contributes to economic growth, innovation, and job creation. She also emphasised that strong marketing must be matched with quality products and services.
Yusupha Keita, ITC Country Representative in The Gambia, revealed that ITC will soon introduce additional programmes such as product development and expert seminars to support and guide entrepreneurs.
Through this journey, he said, participants will receive support in financial management and access to grant opportunities to help grow their businesses.
Patrick Mendy, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NACCUG, stressed the importance of the initiative and noted that NACCUG places a high premium on capacity building.
Mr. Mendy added that NACCUG currently has 42 credit unions nationwide with a savings portfolio of about D3.6 billion. “Out of this money, we have about D2.7 billion in loans. So that means these loans are going to entrepreneurs and different sectors within the credit unions,” he said.
He also spoke about plans to introduce cash flow-based lending, saying it is all geared towards giving entrepreneurs easier access to finance.
