How SMEs can create over a million jobs annually for the youth

Behind the 'middle-class' lifestyle is a booming SME sector that drives these economies and generates millions of new jobs every year. [Istockphoto]

It is a fact that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of the global economy, and Eastern Africa is no exception in that sense.

I recently reviewed interesting statistics and research findings on the inter-relations between banks and SMEs, as part of our build-up to launching a dedicated service centre for our SME customers.