New partnership to unlock online markets for SMEs

The growth of digital commerce represents a permanent change in how people shop. [iStockphoto]

Some 500 small businesses are poised to benefit from a new partnership deal that seeks to upscale their presence online through e-commerce.

The partnership inked on Tuesday between the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (Keproba) entails providing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access to ITC's online training resources.

It also involves raising awareness, and skill levels, organising webinars, workshops, and opportunities via ecomConnect.org.

The participating businesses stand to benefit from ITC's expansive knowledge and resources on e-commerce with the hope that this will improve their presence online.

ITC will also conduct expert training and workshops, advisory and research, and establish public-private partnerships and e-commerce tools necessary for growth.

Other benefits include joining an e-commerce community, e-learning courses, specialised clinics and technical workshops, training on e-commerce readiness and payment solutions.

More importantly, the businesses will benefit from ITC's bank of data on market intelligence.

ITC e-commerce and SME digital transformation advisor Annabel Sykes described the partnership as an important avenue for businesses to reach important markets through the online channel.

"It will offer small businesses the potential to tap into the global market," she said.

The benefiting businesses will also get a chance to leverage ITC's already existing partnerships with other large e-commerce platforms like Alibaba, E-Bay and Canvas.

"Our results are very tangible. We try to do activities that will have an important impact on businesses," said Ms Sykes.

Keproba acting Director, Resource Centre, Reuben Wanjala said e-commerce is core to the agency's export agenda.

"As a country, we have done a lot to create an environment proper for e-commerce," said Wanjala.