How research is shaping the future of Africa’s most entrepreneur-centred trade platform

Why do Africa’s small businesses—the businesses that feed families, create jobs, and keep local economies moving—continue to face some of the greatest barriers to growth?

This question has guided the JamiiTrade journey from the very beginning.

Across the continent, SMEs are the backbone of economic activity. They connect markets, move goods, create livelihoods, and drive innovation in communities that are too often overlooked. Yet despite their importance, many entrepreneurs still struggle to access reliable trade information, trusted networks, growth opportunities, financing pathways, and the practical support needed to successfully expand across borders.

JamiiTrade was built to change that.

What started as a response to a critical gap in support for African entrepreneurs has evolved into a growing pan-African platform designed to help SMEs learn, connect, trade, and grow. Today, with more than 827 registered accounts and a vibrant community engaging across markets, industries, and countries, JamiiTrade is becoming a trusted ecosystem for entrepreneurs navigating the opportunities of intra-African trade.

But as we prepare for our next phase of growth, we are asking ourselves an important question:

How do we ensure JamiiTrade continues to solve the right problems for the entrepreneurs we serve?

The answer is simple: we listen.

Research as a Foundation for Growth

This summer, Shared Value Africa is partnering with a team of researchers through the University of Michigan’s diiVe program to undertake one of the most important exercises in JamiiTrade’s evolution: a comprehensive entrepreneur and SME needs assessment.

This work is far more than a research project. It is a strategic investment in building a better product.

As JamiiTrade prepares for platform enhancements and the future launch of JamiiMobile, our mobile application planned to expand access and engagement across the continent, we recognise that meaningful innovation must begin with a deep understanding of the people we aim to serve.

The diiVe team is examining the realities facing entrepreneurs across Africa today:

• What are the biggest barriers to cross-border trade?
• What information do SMEs struggle to access? 
• Where are entrepreneurs losing time, money, and opportunity? 
• What tools would make trading across African markets simpler and more effective?
• How should digital platforms evolve to support African businesses in a rapidly changing trade environment?

Through surveys, interviews, competitor analysis, and customer research spanning multiple entrepreneurial archetypes, the team is gathering insights directly from the people who matter most: the entrepreneurs themselves.

 Returning to Our Roots

In many ways, this research represents a return to JamiiTrade’s origins.

In 2021, an earlier diiVe research project explored why many African SMEs were not fully benefiting from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The findings revealed a critical challenge: entrepreneurs understood the promise of AfCFTA but often lacked practical knowledge about how it applied to their businesses. Information was fragmented, difficult to access, and rarely designed with SMEs in mind.

That insight helped inspire the creation of JamiiTrade.

Today, we are once again turning to research to guide our next chapter.

Just as the first study identified a knowledge gap that needed to be addressed, the current research seeks to uncover the next generation of challenges and opportunities facing African entrepreneurs. It will help us understand not only what SMEs need today, but what they will need tomorrow as digital trade, regional integration, and cross-border commerce continue to evolve.

Building a Platform That Reflects Real Entrepreneur Needs

Too often, digital products are built around assumptions.

At JamiiTrade, we believe the opposite approach creates stronger outcomes.

Rather than deciding what entrepreneurs need and hoping they agree, we are engaging directly with them to understand their functional, emotional, social, and emerging needs. The research will examine what currently works well on the platform, where gaps exist, and how JamiiTrade can create greater value for SMEs, support organisations, investors, training providers, and ecosystem partners.

The findings will directly inform:

• Improvements to the JamiiTrade web platform;
• The design and positioning of JamiiMobile;
• New value propositions and unique service offerings;
• Enhanced user experiences and engagement strategies;
• Future partnerships, investment opportunities, and growth pathways.

Most importantly, the research will help ensure that JamiiTrade remains grounded in the everyday realities of African entrepreneurship.

The Bigger Vision

JamiiTrade has always been about more than just technology.

We are building infrastructure for opportunity.

The entrepreneur in Accra seeking buyers in Nairobi. The manufacturer in Lagos looking to enter a new regional market. The exporter in Nairobi searching for trusted partners across the continent. These businesses do not simply need another digital platform. They need a trusted ecosystem that helps them navigate complexity, access opportunities, and build meaningful commercial relationships.

That vision continues to guide us.

The work being undertaken by the diiVe team is helping us create a platform that is not only bigger, but smarter. A platform informed by evidence, shaped by users, and designed for long-term impact.

As Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape evolves, so must the systems that support it.

By combining rigorous research with our commitment to empowering SMEs, JamiiTrade is laying the foundations for its next stage of scale—one that is driven by real needs, real voices, and real opportunities for African entrepreneurs.

Because the future of African trade will not be built for entrepreneurs.

It will be built with them. Join the survey here.