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DHL Express and pan-African financial services group Absa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Sub-Saharan Africa access international markets and build sustainable businesses.
The partnership was established under DHL GoTrade, an initiative designed to help SMEs overcome barriers to cross-border commerce and participate more effectively in global markets.
“Our main goal is to ensure we provide our African SMEs with the tools they need to access and participate in the global marketplace. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to facilitate trade through SMEs,” said Hennie Heymans, CEO DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa.
DHL Express and Absa are teaming up to help entrepreneurs by offering trade training, logistics support, financial services, and digital tools for cross-border trade and e-commerce.
They will create customised banking and logistics solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in international trade, including support for businesses focused on green logistics and sustainability.
As part of the agreement, DHL Express will provide trade lane specialists and facilitators to deliver logistics and cross-border trade training through Absa’s extensive SME network.
The training will follow DHL’s “Trade and Grow Beyond Borders” curriculum, which consists of 14 interactive modules designed to support businesses at different stages of their development.
The programme will address areas including logistics knowledge, regulatory requirements, digital readiness and other challenges that can prevent smaller businesses from entering international markets.
“SMEs are the engine of inclusive growth in Africa, creating jobs, strengthening communities and expanding the continent’s participation in global trade. Through our collaboration with DHL Express, we are giving our customers practical access to the trade knowledge, e-commerce capabilities and sustainable solutions they need to grow beyond borders and compete with confidence,” said Faisal Mkhize, Managing Executive for Business Development, Business Banking Pan-Africa.
The partnership aims to help African entrepreneurs move beyond domestic markets by combining access to financial services with practical logistics and e-commerce support.
Absa is a financial services group working towards growth in Africa and other regions. The company operates in several African countries, including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
It also has offices in China, Namibia, Nigeria, and the United States, as well as securities operations in the UK and US, and technology support based in the Czech Republic.
