Women-led Businesses to the Fore as CI Joins Africa Trade Mission
17 July 2024
From 18-21 June, a UK trade delegation to Kenya brought British buyers face-to-face with African corporations and businesses from all corners of the continent.
CI’s head of international trade Nikki Clow (pictured below) was invited to be part of the delegation, together with West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce’s CEO James Mason, and businesses from the West and North Yorkshire region.
Ten buyers from the UK met with and 23 African corporations, and over 60 women-led businesses from seven African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and The Gambia). The schedule was a practical one, giving priority to B2B networking sessions and company visits. Several business deals were generated as a direct result of the trade mission, which was organised by the United Nations’ International Trade Centre (ITC).
One textiles and apparel company from the UK signed deals with two companies during the B2B networking meetings, and is in negotiations with two more women-led businesses as a result. The two initial orders are estimated at around £15,000 in total, with the overall value of deals expected to increase significantly as trust deepens further.
Another UK company selling handicrafts, home décor and women’s accessories, is co-developing products with seven different women-led businesses, with an estimated value of nearly £200,000 over three years.
Inspiring Business
Describing the experience as “truly inspiring”, one delegate said, “In my entrepreneurial journey we have never looked at Africa as a supply source. This trip has changed all of that, for sure. We have made some very useful contacts in which we will be starting to negotiate with in the coming weeks. It was very helpful having other African nations there as we are looking at supply sources from South Africa, Mauritius and Ghana”, and indicated that the Trade Mission may also be leading to a new partnership with one of the other UK buyers.
The Kenya Trade Mission followed hot-on-the-heels of one in late May, in which seven UK businesses visited Rwanda in late May, with estimates of around £1.5 million per year of new trade resulting. A few of companies have already begun shipping produce to the UK, from their new suppliers.
Nikki Clow said, “It was a real privilege to be invited to be part of the British delegation for this exciting trade mission. This was my first visit to Kenya, and it opened my eyes, in a new way, to all kinds of exciting opportunities for UK businesses. To see such a strong contingent of women business leaders was great for me, personally”.
Growing Exports from the Region
James Mason is committed to seeing increased trade between the West and North Yorkshire region and emerging markets overseas. It is a mark of his commitment that already this year he has joined with the Kenya Trade Mission and also ITC’s trade mission to Pakistan, which connected over 60 Pakistani businesses with 15 delegates from the UK during the B2B networking sessions, generating an initial total of £545,000 in trade leads.
ITC is preparing a UK trade mission to Bangladesh from 24-27 September, and the deadline for applications is 31 July.
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