Export Platform Targets Global Market Access For African SMEs

Africa is set to take a significant step toward strengthening its participation in global trade with the planned launch of Valcertra, a digital export platform designed to connect African producers directly to international markets.

The platform, described as Africa’s first verified export gateway, was unveiled at the Valcertra Business Summit held in Abuja, where its founder and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Benard Odoh, outlined its role in addressing long-standing barriers faced by African exporters, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

According to Odoh, Valcertra is being developed to provide a single, trusted trade infrastructure that guarantees quality assurance, regulatory compliance, traceability and predictable delivery, all of which are critical requirements for accessing global markets.

He said the platform would be formally launched in early 2026, following ongoing testing and stakeholder consultations, adding that it will link African manufacturers, farmers and traders to verified buyers in the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Canada.

Odoh explained that Valcertra aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework, which requires a minimum of 40 per cent local value addition for exports, positioning the platform as a compliant and scalable solution for intra-African and international trade.

“For decades, African producers have been locked out of global markets not because of poor-quality products, but due to documentation gaps, inconsistent standards, product rejections and fragmented systems,” Odoh said.

He noted that the platform is designed as a full-stack trade infrastructure, integrating verification, certification, logistics coordination and compliance validation to restore confidence across the export value chain.

The Valcertra Business Summit attracted stakeholders from key government agencies and development institutions, including the Bank of Industry (BoI), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the AfCFTA Secretariat.

Speaking at the event, the Group Head, Product Development and Innovation at the Bank of Industry, Dr Emmanuel Ojowuro, said the bank’s partnership with Valcertra would help strengthen export readiness among Nigerian businesses.

Ojowuro explained that the BoI finances only products that meet required quality and export standards, adding that Valcertra would support validation and certification processes to ensure compliance.

“All businesses we finance must meet specified standards. Valcertra provides an added layer of assurance that Nigerian exports are competitive, traceable and compliant with global requirements,” he said.

Stakeholders at the summit described the platform as a potential game changer capable of unlocking Africa’s export potential, reducing trade losses and positioning SMEs to compete more effectively in global markets.