Small businesses in East Africa are expected to benefit from stronger access to finance, trade knowledge and international markets following a new partnership between the International Trade Centre (ITC) and Equity Group Holdings PLC aimed at supporting inclusive economic growth.
The two organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding to support commercially viable development across East Africa, starting with Kenya. The initiative will focus on three sectors seen as having strong growth potential: coffee, leather and creative industries.
The partnership combines ITC’s experience in global trade development with Equity Group’s financial infrastructure and regional reach under its Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP), a six-pillar strategy focused on food and agriculture, manufacturing, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), technology and social impact investments.
For entrepreneurs and small businesses, the agreement is expected to create practical opportunities by helping them gain financing, improve skills, meet international standards and access new markets.
ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton said access to finance alone is not enough for business growth, especially for smaller enterprises seeking to compete internationally.
“We know that access to finance is critical for small businesses – but it has to be matched with the right skills to use it effectively. That’s why we’re partnering with Equity Bank – to ensure small businesses across East Africa can tap both financing and trade expertise to move up the value chain and compete in global markets, from leather to the creative industries,” she said.
Equity Group already has banking operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania, positioning the partnership to potentially reach businesses across multiple East African markets over time.
Helping MSMEs Scale in Coffee, Leather and Creative Industries
The partnership will begin with a pilot phase in Kenya running until December 2026 before expanding into other East African countries from 2027.
In the coffee sector, ITC will provide practical training between June and September 2026, building on the European Union-funded Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) II in the East African Community. The training will focus on export logistics, specialty coffee quality, price risk management and coffee processing techniques.
Coffee and leather businesses will also receive support to meet the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which affects exports entering the EU market. This could help producers remain competitive and continue exporting to important international markets.
In the leather sector, the partnership will support a midterm review of the East African Community Leather and Leather Products Strategy 2020–2030. Planned activities include product design coaching for footwear MSMEs, harmonising standards across East African Community partner states and improving access to e-commerce markets through platforms such as Etsy, eBay and Shopify.
The creative industries, which include music, film, gaming, digital media, fashion, crafts and performing arts, will begin with market assessments and sector mapping before businesses receive development support, market access opportunities and financing tailored to their needs.
Building a Stronger Business Ecosystem for Regional Growth
Equity Group Managing Director and CEO Dr James Mwangi said the partnership is designed to unlock new opportunities for entrepreneurs by combining finance with trade intelligence and stronger market connections.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to unlocking the immense potential within Africa’s value chains by connecting entrepreneurs, producers and creatives to regional and global markets,” he said.
Dr Mwangi added that through Equity’s Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan, the institution is investing in industries that create jobs, increase exports and support inclusive economic transformation. He said combining finance, trade intelligence, business support and market access would help MSMEs in coffee, leather and creative industries “scale sustainably and compete globally.”
“Our ambition is to ensure that MSMEs are not merely participants in trade, but competitive actors capable of shaping global markets through quality, scale and innovation,” he said.
Beyond sector-specific support, participating businesses and Equity Group will also gain access to ITC’s trade market intelligence tools and SME Trade Academy, an online learning platform designed to help small businesses strengthen their competitiveness.
The partnership also brings together two organisations with significant regional influence. ITC, the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, supports small businesses in developing economies to become more competitive in global markets. Equity Group, one of East Africa’s largest financial institutions, serves 22.7 million customers through a wide network of branches, agents, merchants, ATMs and digital banking services across the region.
In 2026, Equity Group was named Africa’s strongest banking brand by Brand Finance with a Brand Strength Index score of 93.9 out of 100 and an AAA+ rating, further strengthening its position as a major player in regional economic growth.
