First National Bank (FNB) Zambia has called on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to use market access, partnerships, finance and knowledge to grow and scale their businesses.
Speaking during the official opening of the FNB Zambia SME Trade Fair 2026 in Lusaka, Business and Commercial Banking Executive, Luyando Mumba, said SMEs are central to economic growth, job creation and innovation.
“At FNB Zambia, we firmly believe that SMEs are not simply businesses. They are dreams in action,” she stated.
Ms. Mumba said the trade fair provides participating businesses with an opportunity to showcase their products and services, build networks, engage potential customers and connect with institutions that can support their growth.
She stated that FNB Zambia remains committed to supporting SMEs through financial solutions, digital platforms, merchant services, lending, transactional banking and advisory support.
“As a bank, our role extends beyond providing banking services. We see ourselves as partners in progress,” Ms. Mumba added.
Ms. Mumba also encouraged members of the public to visit the exhibition stands and support local businesses contributing to Zambia’s economic development.
“This platform is designed to create real opportunities. Opportunities for collaboration, opportunities for learning, opportunities for market access, and most importantly, opportunities for growth,” she said.
At the same event, Optimus Cleaning Solutions founder and owner Maria Ngweza, called for increased access to markets, finance, information and business networks to enable SMEs in Zambia to survive and grow.
Ms. Ngweza said Zambia has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, with businesses emerging across homes, markets, offices, workshops and online platforms.
She stressed that having an entrepreneurial idea or a good product is, however, not enough to guarantee business growth, as SMEs also require customers, financial discipline, skilled personnel, knowledge, networks and opportunities to showcase their capabilities.
“The opportunity is therefore not simply to create more businesses. The opportunity is to create businesses that are connected to markets and capable of growing,” Ms. Ngweza said.
Ms. Ngweza noted that SMEs continue to face challenges including access to finance, finding and retaining customers, high operating costs, competition, access to technology, business skills and regulatory requirements.
She said platforms such as the FNB SME Trade Fair are important because they provide entrepreneurs with opportunities to showcase their businesses, meet potential customers and partners, and establish relationships that could contribute to business growth.
