The Funding Challenges Faced By Small And Medium Enterprises: A Case Of Windhoek, Namibia

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ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the funding challenges faced by small and medium enterprises in Windhoek city. The specific objectives that this study sought to address were to ascertain whether SMEs have challenges in accessing credit in Namibia and if so, determine these specific challenges; to determine how financing challenges affect the operations of Small and Medium Enterprises and recommend to policy makers on how to overcome these funding challenges and thus improve accessibility of funding to SMEs. This should result in the improvement of both the performance and growth of the SME sector. To achieve the above objectives, this study adopted a quantitative research design and used a sample of 293 SMEs that were drawn from Windhoek City using simple random sampling. The sample was drawn from various business sectors including construction, retail, manufacturing, beauty and cosmetics, transport and others. This study revealed that there were several factors that hinder the ability of SMEs to apply and obtain loan finance from commercial banks in Namibia. Among the major limitations to accessibility of loans by SMEs were: lack of sufficient collateral security, low profitability levels of SMEs, high interest rates on bank loans, lack of bankable business plans, and long and complicated loan application procedures and requirements. 

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