South Africa's $21.5B SME Funding Gap Is a Data Problem
The OECD's Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2026 report found that 56% of South Africa's MSMEs are unregistered.
The OECD's Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2026 report found that 56% of South Africa's micro, small and medium enterprises are unregistered, contributing to a $21.5 billion SME funding gap. The report frames the shortfall as largely a data problem, since unregistered businesses lack the formal records lenders use to assess creditworthiness.
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