MSME Business Excellence Awards 2025 Winners

Wednesday, 30 July 2025 14:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Technical Session 1:

Topic: Resources required to support MSMEs - Finance, Technology, and Market Access

Address by Ms. Sanjini Munaweera: She shared how small business owners in Sri Lanka can take simple, practical steps to unlock growth through digital tools.

Address by Mr. Athula Edirisinghe: An Export House is a specialized entity that promotes the products and services of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in international markets, aiming to increase their contribution to national exports from 5% to25% within 3–5 years. Export Houses are essential intermediaries to expand MSME reach in the global market.

Address by Mr. Jude Fernando: National Credit Guarantee Institution Limited (NCGIL) is a Public-Private Partnership between the Government of Sri Lanka and 13 leading financial institutions. NCGIL issues credit guarantees to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), enabling access to loans based on cash flow, without the need for tangible collateral. Priority is given to women-led businesses and eco-friendly ventures.

Address by Mr. Lakshman Abeysekera Chairman NEDA:Thank you to CMA for this opportunity. Sri Lanka is recovering from a crisis and working to stabilize the economy and planning doubling GDP and exports, increasing reserves, and resuming debt repayments within two years.

We aim to triple per capita income and raise entrepreneurship from 3% to 10% of the working population. Currently we are focusing on key selected sectors to double exports within a short period of time;tourism, IT/digital/AI, agriculture modernization, and rubber, boats, and, mineral product exports.

Our Ministry, through institutions like EDB, IDB, SED, and NEDA, is driving entrepreneurship development,industrial, SME, and export growth while improving governance in SOEs.

Technical Session 2:

During the second technical session, the panel discussion focused on several key areas aimed at enhancing financial inclusion among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Sri Lanka. One of the primary topics was the strategic use of the National Credit Guarantee Institution (NCGIL) to support the financial integration of MSMEs, particularly by onboarding quality proposals that ensure the institution’s long-term sustainability. Special attention was given to empowering women entrepreneurs, highlighting the significant role they play in economic development, as women constitute 52% of the population.