E-tailers help African businesses

From local farmers to small firms, all benefit from push for digital shift

Chinese e-commerce platforms are investing more resources to expand their presence in Africa, helping local farmers sell their specialties, providing related cross-border e-commerce training courses and facilitating the digital transformation of local enterprises, as part of a broader push to bolster Sino-African economic and trade cooperation.

Tech heavyweight Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has been offering a range of specialized training programs for African entrepreneurs, including teaching them how to run online stores and sell distinctive agricultural products. Such training complements support in local smart logistics and fulfillment services, so as to promote the development of the digital economy in African countries.

Alibaba has worked with the Rwanda Development Board since 2018 to help Rwandan small and medium-sized enterprises sell their products, including coffee and handicrafts, to Chinese consumers through Alibaba's online marketplaces.