National Chamber and NEDA conduct ‘Access to Finance’ awareness program successfully

Tuesday, 26 May 2026 06:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}


Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe	NEDA Chairman Lakshman Abeysekera

The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) and the National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) jointly organised a session on ‘Access to Finance: Concessionary loan schemes for MSMEs’ on 20 May 2026 at the National Chamber of Commerce Auditorium.

The keynote address was delivered by Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe, and the forum featured two focused technical presentations. Department of Development Finance Acting Director Kuloja G. Peiris discussed the concessionary support available to SMEs through government channels, while National Credit Guarantee Institution Chief Executive Officer Jude T. Fernando, explained the institution’s role in facilitating lending, particularly for SMEs without sufficient collateral. The session was powered by the Bank of Ceylon.

The panel discussion on bridging the gaps in SME financing and improving access to credit facilities featured insights from Department of Development Finance Acting Director Kuloja G. Peiris; National Credit Guarantee Institution Chief Executive Officer Jude T. Fernando; National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) Director Dhanuka Liyanagamage; and Bank of Ceylon Chief Manager – Development Banking K.G.C. Danushka. The session was moderated by National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) Secretary General and CEO Nilupul Chandrasena. The discussion further explored the key challenges faced by SMEs in accessing finance and highlighted possible policy and institutional interventions, followed by an interactive Q&A session with both physical and virtual participants.

The National’ Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka and the National Enterprise Development Authority remain committed to fostering SME growth through initiatives that bring together government institutions, financial organisations, and development agencies. NCCSL extends its sincere appreciation to NEDA Chairman Lakshman Abeysekera; NEDA Director Dhanuka Liyanagamage; NEDA Assistant Director Oshani Bodhiwansha; and the entire NEDA team for their enormous support in organising a successful program.

Sri Lankan businesses interested in exploring potential trade partnerships with Indian counterparts can obtain detailed profiles of the delegates by contacting Nishanthi or Nethmi at 011 474 1788 / 076 255 5707 or via email at [email protected] or [email protected].