Amanbo Straddles the Trade Gap Between China and Africa

Amanbo, an e-commerce platform has been linking African manufacturers with Chinese customers, and vice versa, for the past few years is set to make trading even smoother.

According to Tia Peng, from Amanbo Nairobi, Africa, particularly Kenya, is a huge market for online products from China. Chinese electronics are especially popular in Africa.

Amanbo now allows the manufacturer to ship their products directly from China to Africa. Peng explained that there will be no operating fee charge using the platform. Only a percentage of the profits will be charged.

Speaking to the CNN Traders, a programme that highlights enterprising individuals globally that are going the extra mile to trade across borders, Peng said that the demand for African products in China is great, especially amongst the middle classes.

“Our focus is not only on bringing Chinese products to Africa but also selling African product to China,” Peng added.

Decorative artifacts carved from the Kenyan soapstone are some of the products that have found a market in China. According to Stephen Okari, a soapstone craftsman, he has benefited from the service and he often enjoys big orders when they come to the Maasai Market.

Amanbo’s online marketplace has been tapping into an already strong economic bridge between China and Africa. CNN’s Traders noted that China is Africa’s main export market and its largest source of imports.

A total of 85 percent exports from Africa to China are made up of commodities and crude materials, with oil being the biggest single item. Due to the country’s lower manufacturing costs, machinery, autos, and textiles from China make up the biggest imports in the African continent.

Amanbo has the ambitious goal of reaching 90 percent of all African consumers but there are some challenges. As Tia Peng explains, “The cost of broadband is still too high in Africa and the logistics aren’t that great. We do believe that through Amanbo, Africa will improve.”