When Malawian entrepreneur Taonga Nyirenda founded Afro Ubuntu TradeNet in the United Kingdom, she was driven by a conviction that Africa’s small businesses deserve better digital tools to compete in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
What started as an AI-powered trade technology company is now preparing to bring its innovation home, with Malawi expected to become a flagship market for a platform designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) digitise their daily operations and unlock new opportunities for growth.
Afro Ubuntu TradeNet has developed a platform that enables businesses to manage inventory, record transactions, receive AI-powered business insights and build trusted digital trading records.
Nyirenda says the initiative seeks to solve one of the biggest challenges facing SMEs across Malawi and the continent: operating without reliable business data.
“Many businesses still rely on manual record-keeping and informal systems. That makes it difficult to manage stock, understand business performance, access finance and demonstrate creditworthiness,” she says.
The platform uses artificial intelligence to transform everyday business activity into practical insights that help entrepreneurs make informed decisions.
“It helps businesses monitor inventory, identify trends, improve purchasing decisions and reduce stock shortages. Better information leads to better decisions, greater productivity and stronger business growth,” says Nyirenda.
Beyond improving day-to-day operations, the platform is designed to create trusted digital trading records that could strengthen businesses’ commercial profiles when engaging financial institutions, development programmes and potential trading partners.
Nyirenda believes digital records will become increasingly important as African economies accelerate their transition towards digital commerce.
“We want SMEs to have access to the same quality of business intelligence and digital tools as businesses anywhere else in the world,” she says.
The company is already engaging stakeholders across Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, but Malawi remains central to its long-term vision.
To support the rollout, Afro Ubuntu TradeNet has begun building partnerships with organisations that share its vision of strengthening the country’s SME ecosystem.
The Malawi High Commission in UK has supported efforts to introduce the initiative to local stakeholders, while discussions are underway with the Cross Border Traders Association Malawi on piloting the platform among its members.
Nyirenda says these engagements are helping the company better understand the needs of local traders before expanding the platform nationally.
Subject to successful discussions with partners, pilot activities are expected to begin during 2026 with between 25 and 50 SMEs, including informal and cross-border traders.
The pilot will allow the company to gather feedback, measure impact and refine the platform before scaling to thousands of businesses.
According to Nyirenda, Africa’s informal economy is estimated to be worth more than US$1.2 trillion and accounts for about 85 percent of employment across the continent.
She says Malawi’s informal economy presents significant opportunities to improve productivity, strengthen trade and expand financial inclusion through digital technology.
“The greatest opportunity lies in reducing the everyday friction informal businesses face while preserving the flexibility that makes them resilient,” she says.
Afro Ubuntu TradeNet’s ambitions have also attracted international recognition.
Recently, the company was named a finalist in the UK Startup Awards 2026 under the Technology of the Year category, an achievement Nyirenda says validates both the innovation behind the platform and its potential to create meaningful impact across Africa.
“Being recognised internationally, together with the support we continue to receive through the University of South Wales’ Business Startup Studio, strengthens our credibility as we engage with investors, institutions and development partners. More importantly, it demonstrates that technology developed by African entrepreneurs can compete globally while solving challenges back home,” she says.
Looking ahead, Nyirenda envisions Afro Ubuntu TradeNet evolving into a digital trade ecosystem that connects businesses with markets, finance and opportunities across Africa.
She believes empowering SMEs with technology is essential to unlocking the continent’s economic potential.
“Africa doesn’t have a shortage of entrepreneurs. It has a shortage of digital infrastructure that allows those entrepreneurs to reach their full potential,” she says.
“Afro Ubuntu TradeNet exists to help build that infrastructure, starting with SMEs and expanding across the continent.”
