Raising capital continues to be an obstacle for regional entrepreneurs, and is one of the primary challenges to a genuine explosion of entrepreneurial activity and the resulting increase in innovation. According to the World Bank, only 20% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in MENA have a loan or a line of credit, the lowest percentage of any region in the world; and the average share of SME lending on total loans is only 8% in MENA, which is the lowest ratio among all the regions.
