By Business Insider Correspoindent, Nairobi
Global trade technology firm Kountable is setting its sights on transforming trade finance in East Africa by deploying blockchain technology to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and eliminate inefficiencies in cross-border supply chains.
Kountable has signed a strategic partnership with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) to roll out its platform to Chamber members.
The move aims to ensure that local SMEs can access alternative supply sources, complete trade deals without disruption, and strengthen their financial readiness.
“We want to make sure that businesses don’t collapse just because their suppliers can’t deliver,” a Kountable representative said. “Our platform matches SMEs with other verified companies offering the same goods and supports them through the transaction process.”
New era for SME financing
Kountable’s blockchain-powered platform is designed to simplify and de-risk trade by offering transparent, data-driven insights into supplier and buyer behaviour.
The company is currently focused on ICT equipment, healthcare supplies, energy technologies, and industrial machinery, and plans to expand to more sectors in the near future.
What sets Kountable apart is its use of cleaned and structured data to evaluate SMEs’ trade potential and financing suitability – eliminating the need for traditional collateral, which many small businesses lack.
“Too often, SMEs are excluded from trade finance because they can’t meet banking requirements. We’re changing that,” said the spokesperson.
Bridging the $3 trillion trade finance gap
Africa’s supply chain trade volume is estimated at USD 3 trillion, yet only 30% of this is financed through traditional banks.
The remainder falls into a financing void that disproportionately affects SMEs, which struggle to meet collateral requirements or manage logistics from overseas suppliers.
Kountable’s solution leverages blockchain to bring trust, traceability, and liquidity into this ecosystem. Through smart contract automation and secure data sharing, the platform facilitates faster financing, lower risk, and reliable fulfilment of cross-border trades.
Regional impact
While the rollout begins in Kenya, Kountable has broader ambitions for the East African market, including Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda, where SMEs face similar financing and logistics challenges.
The platform aims to position itself as a vital digital bridge connecting local businesses to global supply chains. SMEs will not only benefit from improved sourcing and financing options, but also from streamlined compliance and risk management, enabling them to take on bigger contracts and expand into new markets.
