Ramani, a leading African Y Combinator-backed supply chain financing platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Tanzania Commercial Bank (TCB) to enhance financial access for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
TCB joins Ramani’s Financial Marketplace as its second capital partner, following Stanbic Bank’s partnership in 2024. This collaboration aims to provide scalable supply chain financing to micro-distribution centres (MDCs) of major FMCG brands such as Coca-Cola, Diageo, and AB InBev.
Launched in June 2023, Ramani’s Financial Marketplace is Tanzania’s first national-scale financing platform for SMBs. It leverages proprietary technology to digitise the lending process, simplifying origination, underwriting, monitoring, and collections. This innovation addresses the traditional challenges African banks face in supporting SMBs due to manual, paper-based operations.
The partnership with TCB expands the Marketplace’s offerings, providing SMBs with a wider selection of loans, reduced fees, and improved repayment terms. Ramani has facilitated over $210 million in cumulative loans, with an average loan size of $47,000. Since launching the Marketplace, it has disbursed $5 million, achieving 136% month-over-month growth. Ramani is transitioning from direct lending to a B2B e-commerce platform, aiming for full transition by mid-2025.
Iain Usiri, CEO & Co-Founder of Ramani, commented, “Supply chain financing has long been the Achilles’ heel of SMB growth, but Ramani is turning this challenge into an opportunity. Our Financial Marketplace is helping businesses access capital, expand operations, and remain competitive. Partnering with Tanzania Commercial Bank strengthens our existing relationship with Stanbic Bank. We’re committed to redefining financing while setting a new standard for financial accessibility in Africa.”
Jesse Jackson, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at TCB, added, “Joining Ramani’s Financial Marketplace marks a significant step in strengthening small and medium businesses across Tanzania. By improving access to scalable and affordable financing, Ramani is addressing the critical challenges that Tanzanian businesses face. At TCB, we believe financial inclusion and innovation are key to economic progress.”
Fredrick Max, Stanbic Bank Tanzania Head of Business & Commercial Banking, stated, “Since partnering with Ramani in 2024, we have scaled our support to SMBs, enabling them to access seamless financial solutions that enhance their growth and resilience. The remarkable growth of Ramani’s Financial Marketplace is a testament to its vision and innovative approach. We are pleased to continue our support for an initiative that drives financial inclusion and empowers SMBs to thrive in the digital age.”
This partnership is set to enhance e-commerce services in Tanzania and the wider East African region by improving access to financing for digital transactions. With more businesses shifting to online platforms, reliable credit solutions are essential for scaling operations, managing inventory, and expanding distribution networks. Ramani’s Marketplace supports the digital economy, fostering innovation and sustainable growth.
SMBs drive Africa’s economy but often struggle to secure financing, with over 50% of small businesses in Tanzania citing limited access to credit as a major barrier to growth. Ramani’s Marketplace bridges this gap by providing a scalable digital solution that helps banks efficiently underwrite and manage loans, ensuring SMBs can access the capital needed to grow.
With Tanzania Commercial Bank as a capital partner, Ramani advances its mission to build an efficient financial ecosystem for SMBs, fostering job creation and economic growth across the continent.
