DHL Express, Absa Group partner to expand GoTrade programme for SMEs across Sub-Saharan Africa
Mozambique and Tanzania are next in line for rollout, as the initiative continues to expand across the continent.
AFRICA – DHL Express and Absa Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand DHL’s GoTrade programme across Sub-Saharan Africa, combining logistics and financial expertise to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to trade across borders.
The partnership brings together DHL’s logistics expertise with Absa’s banking and financial capabilities to support businesses looking to expand beyond their domestic markets.
Under the agreement, SMEs will receive training, market insights, and financial tools needed to navigate complex regulatory environments.
The agreement was signed by Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, and Faisal Mkhize, managing executive for business development, Business Banking Pan-Africa at Absa Group.
Government Support and Economic Impact
Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Zuko Godlimpi said the partnership would help SMMEs address constraints to regional growth. “This partnership brings together the finance, logistics, market knowledge and public support that SMMEs need to trade beyond our borders. By building the capacity of South African enterprises to enter African markets, we are not only growing individual businesses, but we are also strengthening intra-African trade, creating jobs and using the African market to power South Africa’s economic growth,” the Deputy Minister said.
DHL’s GoTrade programme is designed to help SMEs address barriers to international trade, including limited logistics knowledge, financing constraints, regulatory complexity and digital readiness.
Training and Regional Expansion
Approximately 1,600 SMEs have been trained in Uganda, one of the earliest markets to implement the programme, with entrepreneurs in Kenya, Botswana and Zambia also benefiting. Mozambique and Tanzania are next in line for rollout, as the initiative continues to expand across the continent.
Faisal Mkhize, managing executive for business development, Business Banking Pan-Africa at Absa Group, said: “SMEs are at the heart of Africa’s economic future. They create jobs and strengthen communities. Our partnership with DHL Express is about giving business owners practical support, and access to trade solutions that can help them move beyond their local markets and realize their growth ambitions.”
The partnership will provide SMEs with practical tools, training and access to services aimed at supporting cross-border trade, e-commerce and business development.
Ultimately, the alliance seeks to transform local ambitions into global opportunities by creating a sustainable ecosystem for economic growth.
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