Guest post: capital is the key to unlocking Angola’s SMEs By Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais

Small and medium-sized enterprises are the real engine of growth. In developed markets they form the backbone of industry, driving innovation and employing millions. The UK’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, for example, reported that there were 4.9m private businesses at the start of 2013, employing 24.3m people. All mature markets depend on small businesses to create jobs and drive innovation.Emerging markets must follow suit if they are to stimulate enterprise and build a robust economy. This is why countries such as Angola need to ensure that the banking sector is not only liberalised and competitive but also prepared to create wider access to capital for SMEs.