–Surpassing $210M in loans, Ramani expands its partnerships to drive SMB financial access
Ramani, 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). Tanzania Commercial Bank joins Ramani’s Financial Marketplace as its second capital partner to provide scalable supply chain financing to micro-distribution centres (MDCs) of leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods brands such as Coca-Cola, Diageo, and AbinBev.
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 entire lending process, simplifying origination, underwriting, monitoring, and collections.
Traditionally, African banks have struggled to support SMBs through financing due to their reliance on manual, paper-based operations, making underwriting and monitoring costly and inefficient. By eliminating these barriers, Ramani’s Marketplace makes this process more accessible, scalable, and cost-effective, unlocking new growth opportunities for businesses.
Tanzania Commercial Bank joined the Marketplace, following Stanbic Bank’s partnership in 2024, providing SMBs with benefits, including a wider selection of loans, reduced fees, and improved repayment terms. This expansion further strengthens Ramani’s Marketplace, positioning it as a resilient and diverse financing platform that supports key industries, including Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), cement, and fuel stations.
To date, Ramani has facilitated over $210 million in cumulative loans, with an average loan size of $47,000, and has disbursed $5 million through the Marketplace within a few months, having achieved a remarkable 136% month-on-month growth. Ramani is rapidly transitioning from direct lending to a B2B e-commerce platform, aiming for a full transition by mid-2025.
Speaking on the partnership with Tanzania Commercial Bank, Iain Usiri, CEO & Co-Founder of Ramani, said, “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 the framework as a leading B2B Marketplace for SMBs across the continent and are committed to redefining financing while setting a new standard for financial accessibility in Africa.”
This partnership is set to enhance e-commerce services in Tanzania and across 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. By providing SMBs with streamlined financial access, Ramani’s marketplace supports the digital economy, fostering innovation and sustainable growth within the region.
Jesse Jackson, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at Tanzania Commercial Bank, stated, “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 understand that financial inclusion and innovation are key to economic progress. As Ramani continues to expand, we hope to see an impactful shift in how businesses access and utilise financing.”
Fredrick Max, Stanbic Bank Tanzania Head of Business & Commercial Banking said, “At Stanbic Bank, we believe that Tanzania is our home, and we are committed to driving her growth. Since establishing our partnership 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, and we are pleased to continue our support for an initiative that drives financial inclusion and empowers SMBs to thrive in the digital age. Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to expanding this impact, leveraging innovation to empower even more businesses and strengthen Tanzania’s digital economy.”
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 (World Bank, 2024).
Ramani’s Marketplace is bridging 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 is advancing its mission to build an efficient financial ecosystem for SMBs, fostering job creation and economic growth across the continent.
