Rwanda’s meat sector receives a boost as young inspectors step up to the plate on standards enforcement
When 29-year-old veterinary graduate Ernest Ngabonziza completed his six-month training as a private meat inspector (PMI) in June 2025, he walked away with a certificate and a vision for both sustainable employment and a chance to build something bigger in his life. Prior to this, he was practicing as a veterinary officer for seven years […]
How a Kenyan Cooperative is Turning Compliance into a Catalyst for Rural Prosperity
Murang’a County, a significant avocado-producing region in Kenya, contributes 40% of the national output, valued at over $3.5 million. Most homes in the area have small orchards, which have become crucial for rural livelihoods. While cities like Madrid and Stockholm offer lucrative markets for avocados, Murang’a farmers, like others in Kenya, face barriers to entry. […]
Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to deepen border reforms and coordination for seamless regional trade
During a joint mission at the Noé–Elubo border on 12 June 2025 Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana have taken a significant step toward improving cross-border trade efficiency with the validation of a major study on Coordinated Border Management (CBM). This occurred during a joint mission held at the Noé–Elubo border on 12 June 2025. The high-level […]
Faith and farming drive a Tanzanian export success story
Beneath the scorching sun, Pastor Clement Manyata, the CEO of Fresh Field, walks through rows of lush green fields, watching as workers carefully harvest fresh vegetables. Nearby, crates are stacked in neat aisles, ready for export. Such a sight once felt like an impossible dream. Today, Fresh Field Manyatta exports vegetables, including bitter gourd (bitter […]
Ethiopia’s Horticulture Sector Goes Digital with New Knowledge Management and E-Learning Platform
Addis Ababa, 29 May 2025 – The Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA), funded the European Union (EU), through Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and TradeMark Africa (TMA), has launched a fully functional online Knowledge Management and E-Learning System. The platform is designed to strengthen workforce capacity, improve industry standards, boost sector competitiveness, and enhance […]
Juiced up for success – How a Rwandan entrepreneur is turning fruit into fortune
Hawa Chloe Niyigena, Whiz Upp Founder, turned a small fruit-processing business into a cross-border success. Cross-border trade in Africa is rarely about just having a good product. For most small businesses, the real hurdle is compliance, meeting multiple national and regional standards that determine whether, for example, a fruit puree clears customs or gets turned […]
Tanzanian women traders find a digital lifeline and expand their businesses through iSOKO
Getruda Mushi CEO of Muge Africart holding on of her products. In Tanzania, where informal trade is widespread and access to markets and finance remains patchy, digital tools are beginning to reshape how small businesses operate. Platforms like iSOKO, a digital platform developed by TMA with support from Global Affairs Canada, help bridge the gap, […]
Cooperatives catalyse safer and more profitable trade for women at the Kenya-Uganda border
Asmin Abdalla shares a moment with Mariam Mbaabu, chair of Busia Women Cross-Border Traders Cooperative. As the sun rises over Busia, the bustling border town between Kenya and Uganda comes to life. Traders haggle over prices, trucks roll through customs, and the scent of fresh fish fills the air. Among them is Natocho Susan Charity, […]
Sweden Launches Continental Programme to Cut Border Delays and Boost African Exports
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 10 June 2025 — The Government of Sweden has launched its four-year, $9.3 million multi-country programme, the Swedish Initiative for Facilitating Trade in Africa (SWIFT), that will focus on dismantling persistent logistics and policy bottlenecks that have stifled intra-African trade along the Berbera, Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) and Abidjan-Lagos Corridors. SWIFT […]
TradeMark Africa hands over Rusizi 2 One Stop Border Post to Rwanda, paving way for enhanced cross-border trade
TradeMark Africa (TMA) officially handed over the newly constructed Rusizi II One Stop Border Post (OSBP) to the Government of Rwanda on 5 June 2025. This significant event paves the way for faster and more efficient cross-border trade and transit between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The handover ceremony was led by […]