Export expert offers lifeline to businesses trading with Africa during health crisis

An Essex-based trade and services company which specialises in trade between the UK and Africa has expanded its services in response to the coronavirus outbreak to protect companies exporting and importing between the two.

Bolaji Sofoluwe, managing director of Colchester-based ETK Group which is the lead consultancy for African market entry and African business growth, said services, supply chains and staff provision had been disrupted by the outbreak – affecting new trade relationships with the continent.

In response, she is offering support with expediting payments, managing human resource relations, in-country representation, supply chain interruption and resilience consulting.

She said: “We know this is a very difficult and uncertain time for businesses all over the world and that in a lot of cases systems as we knew them are on a temporary go slow.

“We have created ways for businesses exporting and importing to weather this storm and to come out of it with a healthy, robust business with opportunity for further growth.”

Anyone experiencing delays in receiving payments from African suppliers or businesses can be helped by ETK’s experts in finance and credit control who offer tailor-made, robust solutions to business-critical payments – vital in today’s climate.

In-country representation is handled by ETK’s global associates – teams who work on the ground in Africa.

Bolaji said: “We are all in the same boat here – unable to leave the house and working remotely wherever possible.

“Our associates can represent our clients in a number of ways.

“We can also provide help with crisis management in Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania and Angola.”

ETK can also help with supply chain interruption and resilience consulting by communicating with existing suppliers or finding alternative solutions.

Bolaji said: “Right now lots of businesses are handling a lot of disruption and our aim is to ease that burden, becoming a reliable partner for market entry into and out of Africa.”

ETK clients include a range of businesses from FTSE 100 clients to SMEs across the UK and African continent.