Ecobank Urges Zambian SMEs to embrace Single Market Trade Hub for Intra-African expansion

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Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and large businesses across Zambia have been encouraged to formalize and onboard onto the recently launched Ecobank Single Market Trade Hub, a revolutionary digital platform designed to empower African trade within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Trade Hub serves as a dynamic information and exchange portal, connecting businesses across the 1.4 billion-people single market created by the AfCFTA.

It enables registered traders to link with partners across the continent, facilitating easier export and import engagements through a unique matchmaking system.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Land-Linked Zambia Conference, which Ecobank sponsored, Head of Trade Finance Fabiano Zulu said the Hub unlocks a world of opportunities for SMEs, particularly those in landlocked nations like Zambia, where regional market access is crucial.

“Our Single Market Trade Hub enables SMEs in Lusaka and beyond to market their goods and services to countries like Tanzania, Ghana, and Benin,” said Mr. Zulu. “The conversation at this conference is about intra-Africa trade not outside corridors but internal ones. This is where the real opportunity lies.”

Mr. Zulu has explained that Ecobank’s digital platform enables businesses to upload their verified company profiles, allowing foreign buyers to engage with credible Zambian suppliers with confidence. However, he stressed the importance of formalizing businesses through registration with PACRA to ensure credibility and visibility on the platform.

“A client in Benin or Côte d'Ivoire wants assurance that the supplier in Zambia is legitimate. That’s why registration is key,” he noted.

Ecobank launched the platform in 2023 as part of its commitment to supporting Agenda 2063, the African Union’s blueprint for inclusive and sustainable economic development.

“At Ecobank, we don’t just see Africa as a continent, we see it as home,” said Mr. Zulu. “Through trade, we want to sustainably transform Africa’s socio-economic landscape, and the Ecobank Trade Hub is one of our key contributions.”

Mr. Zulu has also reaffirmed Ecobank’s commitment to developing smart transport corridors, which are crucial to boosting intra-African trade.

He has noted that modern logistics networks including improved road, rail, and port infrastructure would reduce costs and improve the efficiency and safety of cargo movement.

“We work with transporters who move copper and agricultural produce across the region. These goods are financed by financial institutions like us, so creating efficient transport channels is vital to making trade work,” he said.

With AfCFTA projected by the World Bank to boost Africa’s income by $450 billion and intra-African exports by over 81% by 2035, the time for African businesses to act is now.

The agreement also aims to increase the continent’s GDP by 7% and potentially grow the African economy to $29 trillion by 2050, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

The Ecobank Single Market Trade Hub positions itself as a bridge to this future, helping businesses in Zambia and across Africa trade smarter, faster, and wider within their own continent.

Ends………………………

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