UbuntuSusu: AAASME Expands Sensitization Drive Across Africa and Beyond

Following the successful kickoff of its Sensitization Caravan in Algiers on the sidelines of the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), the All Africa Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (AAASME) has continued its continental campaign to promote the $1.4 billion UbuntuSusu Continental SME Fund.

The next stop of the Caravan was Cairo, Egypt, where the AAASME team engaged SME stakeholders on the sidelines of the AfCFTA Ministerial Meetings and Private Sector Roundtable held on September 15, 2025. The session provided insights into the UbuntuSusu Fund’s objectives and operational framework, where participants commended the bold initiative.

As the UbuntuSusu Fund continues to gain continental and global traction, the Caravan proceeded to Johannesburg, South Africa, where it participated in the Global SME Finance Forum. On the sidelines of the event, Ambassador Wallace Williams, Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to Nigeria, was appointed Global Africa Champion for the UbuntuSusu Fund.

Announcing the appointment at a media parley, the AAASME President, Dr Ebiekure Jasper Eradiri, praised Ambassador Williams for his unwavering dedication to advancing the Global Africa agenda and strengthening ties across the African diaspora. He emphasized that the Ambassador’s role will be pivotal in promoting the UbuntuSusu initiative among SME stakeholders worldwide.

In his remarks, Ambassador Williams expressed gratitude for the recognition and reaffirmed his commitment to the mission of AAASME. Recalling his first engagement with the Association during the Africa Celebrates event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2024, he pledged to advance the interests of Global Africa and the African SME community as a UbuntuSusu champion.

Continuing its global engagement drive, the UbuntuSusu Roadshow extended its outreach to international stakeholders for broader buy-in. On the margins of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum held in Geneva, Switzerland, from September 17–18, 2025, the delegation held several bilateral meetings that yielded promising outcomes.

A key highlight of the engagement was the decoration of Mrs. Maureen Mba, Head of MANSA at Afreximbank, as Poster Queen Ambassador for UbuntuSusu. The honor, conferred by Ambassador Wallace Williams, recognized Mrs. Mba’s outstanding contribution to promoting Africa’s financial sovereignty and inclusion through MANSA—efforts that align closely with the UbuntuSusu Fund’s vision.