Intra-African trade is 15% of total African trade.In Asia, it is 58%.We think that gap can close.

Manufacturers across Africa produce goods that buyers in other African countries want and need. But the connection between them breaks down at the same point every time: trust.

A Ghanaian buyer cannot verify a Nigerian manufacturer without flying to Lagos. A Kenyan importer cannot confirm a Rwandan supplier's certifications without a phone call into an unknown network. An East African distributor defaults to suppliers in China or India not because the goods are better, but because the process is clearer.

80% of intra-African B2B trade happens informally — through WhatsApp networks, word of mouth, and handshake agreements with no verification, no documentation, and no recourse when something goes wrong. Advance payment fraud on first orders is common. Buyers lose money. Suppliers lose relationships. Another deal that should have happened in Africa happens in Asia instead.

Cross-border payments between African countries route through correspondent banks in London or New York, costing 8 to 12% in fees on every transaction. The infrastructure was never built for intra-African commerce.

This is not a small inefficiency. Every 1% shift in intra-African trade share represents over $3 billion in new transaction flow. The AfCFTA has opened regulatory doors for 54 countries to trade under one framework. New cross-border payment corridors are going live across the continent. The infrastructure problem is being solved — corridor by corridor.

Merkato is the marketplace layer on top of that infrastructure.

Merkato does not hold inventory. It does not operate warehouses. It does not manage logistics.

It provides the trust layer — verification, matching, escrow, and dispute resolution — and takes a 3% commission on completed transactions. Suppliers can also pay for enhanced verified listings with better visibility and analytics.

One corridor first. The continent to follow. We launch on the highest-demand trade corridor in West Africa and expand to East Africa, Southern Africa, and Francophone West Africa as the infrastructure matures and demand is proven.

• Fairness. Founding suppliers pay nothing in commission for 12 months. We only make money when transactions succeed. Our incentives align with yours.
• Transparency. The verification process is documented. The dispute resolution policy is published. The fees are fixed. There are no hidden charges.
• African trade, for Africa. We are not a foreign platform entering Africa. We are built specifically for the realities of African cross-border commerce — the payment systems, the certification frameworks, the regulatory environment, the trust dynamics.