Kenya is seeking to expand its share of global digital commerce by linking mobile money, e-commerce, finance and trade systems, while addressing infrastructure, logistics and regulatory barriers, officials said in Nairobi.

Investment, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said Kenya could become a leading African digital trade hub, but would need stronger infrastructure, financing, logistics and regulation to support businesses operating across borders.

Kinyanjui was speaking at a high-level workshop on digital trade organised by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which brought together government, financial-sector and private-sector stakeholders.

The discussions come as Kenya develops policies aimed at increasing digital services exports and expanding the role of technology in international commerce.

The State Department for Trade said in July that it was developing a five-year Digital Services Export Strategy targeting stronger exports of software, fintech, business-process outsourcing and other digital services.

Kenya’s digital economy could contribute 662 billion shillings ($5.1 billion) to gross domestic product by 2028, according to figures cited at the workshop. Kinyanjui also cited a global digital trade market worth $8.75 trillion in 2025.

The opportunity extends beyond online shopping. For Kenyan businesses, digital trade requires a network that allows customers to discover products, make payments, obtain financing, clear goods through customs and receive deliveries across borders.

Mobile Money Becomes Part of Trade Infrastructure

Kenya already has a large digital consumer and payments base that can support further growth.

The country had almost 88 million mobile SIM subscriptions by June 2026, alongside 52.26 million smartphones and nearly 55 million mobile broadband subscriptions.

Mobile money is also becoming increasingly connected to wider payment systems.

Safaricom and Pesapal have expanded M-Pesa payment options through tap-to-pay and dynamic QR payments at Pesapal terminals. Safaricom has said it aims to expand the network of participating merchant outlets significantly.

Airtel Money is also preparing to introduce a Mastercard-powered virtual card in Kenya, allowing customers to use mobile-money balances for international online purchases and digital services.

Safaricom’s international payments business generated 4.8 billion shillings in revenue in the financial year ended March 2026, up 22.3%. Total M-Pesa revenue reached 182.7 billion shillings during the same period.

The developments illustrate how Kenya’s digital payments infrastructure is increasingly connecting domestic consumers and businesses to international commerce.

For exporters, however, receiving a digital payment is only one part of the transaction. Businesses also need access to foreign currency, working capital and systems for reconciling payments with sales and accounting records.

Finance Remains a Constraint for Businesses

Access to trade finance is another challenge facing businesses seeking to serve customers outside Kenya.

The African Development Bank estimates Africa’s trade-finance gap at more than $74 billion. Limited access to finance can make it difficult for smaller businesses to purchase inventory, pay suppliers, import equipment or manage the period between shipping goods and receiving payment.

Digital records could potentially help lenders assess businesses by providing information about sales, payments and cash flow. Such systems could be particularly relevant for small and medium-sized enterprises without extensive conventional credit histories.

Kenya’s broader policy direction is already moving towards digital services exports. The State Department for Trade said its Digital Services Export Strategy is intended to position Kenya as a leading digital-services hub by 2031, with priority areas including software development, fintech, business-process outsourcing and digital content.

The strategy also identifies markets in Africa, Europe, North America, the Gulf and Asia, reflecting the government’s ambition to increase the value of services that Kenyan companies sell internationally.

Logistics and Regulation Remain Critical

The expansion of Kenya digital trade also depends on physical infrastructure.

An online order still requires goods to be transported, cleared through customs and delivered to the customer. High shipping costs, delays, fragmented standards and limited fulfilment networks can therefore reduce the competitiveness of Kenyan sellers even when the payment process is entirely digital.

The Port of Mombasa remains a key gateway for regional commerce, connecting international shipping lines to markets across East and Central Africa. Government agencies have been pursuing greater digitalisation and coordination at the port to improve trade efficiency.

Consumer confidence is another consideration. As more transactions move through mobile-money platforms, social networks, marketplaces and digital payment systems, businesses and consumers need protection against fraud and mechanisms for resolving disputes.

Regulation is also evolving alongside the payments industry. Kenya has been considering reforms covering areas such as payment-system oversight, interoperability, open finance, outsourcing, cross-border payments and settlement.

Regional Trade Could Widen the Market

Kenya’s digital-trade ambitions are also linked to regional integration.

The country is participating in initiatives under the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area, including work around the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol.

The State Department for Trade has said Kenya is working to advance the implementation of AfCFTA protocols covering digital trade, investment, competition, intellectual property and women and youth in trade.

In February, Kenya also launched digital platforms called Biashara Link and Deal House to connect its diplomatic missions with trade and investment opportunities under AfCFTA.

The potential market is therefore broader than Kenya’s domestic e-commerce sector. Software developers, professional-service providers, manufacturers, exporters, creators and small merchants can all use digital channels to reach customers beyond the country’s borders.

The government’s challenge will be to connect the different layers of that system.

Kenya already has widespread mobile-money adoption, expanding internet access, digital banking, e-commerce platforms and a growing technology sector.

The next stage will require those systems to work more efficiently with trade finance, customs, logistics, foreign exchange, consumer protection and cross-border payment networks.