Absa and DHL Express partner to support SME trade across Africa

Partnership announcement

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain one of the strongest drivers of economic growth across Africa. They create jobs, contribute to local economies and help businesses and communities prosper. To support their continued growth, Absa Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DHL Express through the DHL GoTrade initiative, a programme focused on helping SMEs participate more effectively in cross-border trade and access international markets.

The partnership brings together DHL Express’ global logistics expertise and Absa’s banking and digital capabilities to provide entrepreneurs with practical support, education and access to services that can help them grow their businesses beyond national borders. Through the collaboration, SMEs will be better positioned to participate in regional and global trade while strengthening their e-commerce capabilities.

This partnership demonstrates the value of Absa’s broader banking ecosystem and the strength of collaboration across the Group. By bringing together international banking capabilities, strategic partnerships, logistics expertise and Business Banking, Absa and DHL Express are creating a platform designed to help SMEs access knowledge, opportunities and support that can enable sustainable growth across borders.

As part of the partnership, DHL Express will provide facilitators and trade specialists to deliver logistics and cross-border trade training to SMEs within Absa’s network. The training will be delivered through the Trade and Grow Beyond Borders curriculum, which consists of 14 interactive modules designed to support businesses at different stages of development.

The agreement also includes plans to explore tailored banking and logistics solutions for businesses trading across borders. This includes support for companies adopting greener logistics practices and more sustainable supply chains. The partnership further creates a framework for ongoing collaboration between the two organisations, providing opportunities to explore new technologies, improve processes and identify additional ways to support SME growth across the continent.

Cheryl Buss, Chief Executive: Absa International, said:
“Africa's long-term growth depends on strengthening its connections to global trade and investment. Absa International plays a critical role in connecting African businesses to the world's key trade and investment corridors, combining our Pan-African presence with international banking capabilities to help clients expand beyond their home markets. By bringing together trade expertise, logistics and international banking capabilities, this collaboration gives SMEs the coordinated support they need to move from being trade-ready to actively participating in regional and global markets.”

Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, added:
“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. By combining logistics expertise with financial and digital solutions, we are helping entrepreneurs move beyond local markets and build resilient, future-ready businesses.”

Faisal Mkhize, Chief Executive: Business Banking, said:
“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.”

For Absa, the partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting entrepreneurship, expanding market access and helping African businesses build the capabilities they need to compete regionally and globally. It is also an example of how different parts of the organisation can work together, connecting strategic relationships, partnerships and client delivery capabilities to create meaningful opportunities for customers.

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