NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 2 – Kenya’s e-commerce sector has formed a new industry body to bring businesses and other stakeholders together to address challenges affecting digital trade.
The Kenya E-Commerce Alliance (KECA) was launched during the Digital Trade Congress 2026 in Nairobi, held under the theme “From Local to Global: Scaling Cross-Border Trade.”
The alliance will provide a platform for e-commerce businesses and other players in the digital trade sector to engage policymakers, share industry knowledge and push for policies that support online and cross-border trade.
Speaking at the launch, KECA CEO and trade summit convener Martin Muli said stronger coordination was needed to help businesses take advantage of the growth in digital commerce.
“Kenya has built a strong digital foundation, but the next phase is about making it easier for businesses to trade digitally, across borders and at scale. The Alliance provides a platform for the industry to articulate its challenges and work with government and other stakeholders on practical solutions,” said Muli.
KECA will bring together e-commerce businesses, online marketplaces, logistics providers, payment companies, technology firms, professional service providers, policymakers and other stakeholders.
Its priorities will include industry representation, advocacy, knowledge sharing, capacity building, market access and collaboration across the e-commerce value chain.
Timothy Were, Director of ICT and Trade at the State Department of Trade, welcomed the formation of the alliance, saying digital traders needed a stronger voice in discussions on policies and regulations affecting the sector.
“As an umbrella body for the industry, KECA should take a keen interest in the legal and regulatory framework being developed by the State by interrogating the policies and helping identify barriers faced by businesses and supporting practical solutions that can enable Kenyan enterprises to sell more easily and competitively across African markets,” said Were.
Were said the alliance would help move discussions on digital trade from policy to implementation by giving businesses a greater role in shaping the regulatory environment.
For small and medium-sized businesses, challenges extend beyond selling products online. Payment systems, cross-border deliveries, regulatory requirements and consumer trust can determine whether online trade becomes commercially viable.
Jennifer Chiku, Digital Trade Manager at GIZ-Kenya, said stronger cooperation among industry associations would be important in influencing digital trade policy at both national and continental levels.
“We want to see strong umbrella associations, supported by legal systems, that are a voice for the private sector and can give feedback on the ground on several protocols aimed at creating an ecosystem where African SMEs can thrive,” said Chiku.
She said the success of e-commerce would depend on the wider ecosystem supporting digital businesses.
“Successful e-commerce markets are not built by markets alone but are supported by ecosystems. Our objective should not be to sell more products online but to create an environment where African businesses can accept digital payments, build trust, and move across borders seamlessly.”
The launch comes amid growing interest in Africa’s digital economy and the opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Digital platforms can help smaller businesses access regional markets, but participants said improvements in trade facilitation, payment interoperability, logistics, consumer protection, digital skills and regulatory coordination will be needed to make cross-border digital trade easier.
KECA said it will focus on bringing industry players together to address these challenges and strengthen Kenya’s position in regional digital trade.
