The East African Business Council (EABC) has launched a Trade Information Booth at the Namanga One Stop Border Post (OSBP) to empower women and youth traders with critical information on cross-border trade within the East African Community (EAC).
The booth, which targets small-scale traders, aims to simplify the EAC Simplified Trade Regime (STR) by providing easy access to trade guidelines, certification procedures, and complaint mechanisms. It is equipped with a television and tables displaying simplified learning videos that explain step-by-step procedures for trading cereals and horticultural products.
Speaking during the Public-Private Dialogue on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), EABC Executive Director Adrian Raphael Njau said women and youth traders often face challenges navigating complex trade processes. He urged other border agencies to simplify certification and lower fee requirements, mirroring the EAC Simplified Certificate of Origin issued for goods traded under STR.
Njau noted that a recent EABC case study on cereal and horticultural trade under STR revealed that high costs of plant health inspection and certification — priced at Ksh 12,900 — significantly reduce profit margins for low-capital traders. This, he warned, pushes some traders to use ungazetted border crossings, undermining formal trade.
Mary Maisori, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of EAC, ASALs and Regional Development, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing NTBs. She emphasized that women and youth should leverage the STR to expand their participation in intra-EAC trade.
During the dialogue, traders highlighted ongoing challenges such as difficulties in obtaining import and export permits for milk and cereals, multiple county fees, and numerous roadblocks.
With its interactive resources and real-time reporting tools, the Trade Information Booth is expected to serve as a one-stop hub for empowering small-scale cross-border traders and boosting regional trade integration.
