UBA Kenya, in partnership with RealSources Africa, AfCFTA, Brand Kenya, and DHL, has unveiled the TradeConnect initiative—a groundbreaking effort across the continent aimed at accelerating intra-African trade.
Spearheaded by RealSources Africa, TradeConnect aims to bridge the trade gaps by linking manufacturers, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), and exporters across Africa.
This dynamic project plans to mobilize 1,000 containers filled with various Kenyan products, destined for key markets across the continent, to smooth logistics, foster financial inclusion, and dismantle trade barriers in alignment with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
The official flag-off of export cargo heading to DRC, Zambia, and South Sudan, led by AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya, marks a significant step forward in the AfCFTA’s mission to enable intra-Africa trade for emerging SMEs and large-scale manufacturers. This first shipment under the AfCFTA framework underscores the crucial contribution of MSMEs in championing export-driven economic growth across Africa.
Speaking at a panel during the launch, UBA Kenya’s MD/CEO Mary Mulili-HSC emphasized UBA’s unwavering dedication to supporting SME growth in Kenya. She noted that focusing on the SME segment is essential to fueling Kenya’s economic progress.
Aligned with UBA’s recent Memorandum of Understanding with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the bank will offer up to $6 billion in financing over the next three years, with $285 million specifically earmarked for Kenyan SMEs. This partnership highlights UBA’s commitment to driving intra-Africa trade and reducing barriers that prevent market access.
Mulili also shared that TradeConnect goes beyond just financing, as it will provide SMEs with valuable non-financial services like capacity-building support to strengthen their position in the market.
At the event, AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene expressed the Secretariat’s full support for the initiative, noting plans to establish AfCFTA trading companies to pool resources. These efforts are designed to unlock new pathways for local SMEs to expand across the region, a cornerstone goal behind this collaborative effort to transform African trade.
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