Absa, Unilever Kenya launch USD 30.8B SME financing programme

KENYA – Absa Bank Kenya and Unilever Kenya have launched a Sh4 billion (USD 30.8 billion) financing programme to ease working-capital constraints for distributors and retailers in the company’s supply chain. 

The facility is intended to strengthen Kenya’s consumer goods value chain and support small and medium-sized enterprises by improving access to stock finance, which should help businesses restock faster and operate more efficiently. 

It will benefit more than 38 Unilever distributors across the country, along with retailers and stockists in their networks, and the partners plan to onboard more than 10 distributors in the first phase by the end of the year.

The programme will be delivered through Absa’s Wezesha Stock Loan, a digital financing solution designed to give businesses faster and more flexible access to working capital. 

Yusuf Omari, Interim Managing Director and CEO of Absa Bank Kenya, stated, “For decades, Absa has walked alongside businesses within Kenya’s stock distribution ecosystem, and we deeply value Unilever Kenya as a long-standing corporate partner in that journey.”

“This next phase of our partnership allows us to expand our collective impact across the value chain by ensuring that distributors and retailers have reliable and timely access to the financing they need to grow.”

Omari added, “Through Wezesha Stock, we are removing long-standing barriers to capital, enabling businesses to unlock new opportunities and strengthening the entire ecosystem.”

Under this arrangement, eligible businesses can access unsecured loans of up to Sh10 million, with options that include Local Purchase Order financing, invoice discounting and asset financing. 

Of that amount, up to Sh5 million can be disbursed within 48 hours through a fully digitised process, making the facility especially useful for SMEs that need quick cash to secure stock or meet immediate business obligations.

Wezesha Stock, launched in 2023, works as a digital platform that helps distributors and retailers access stock financing more efficiently, while the broader partnership is expected to improve product availability across the market and reduce supply disruptions. 

The commitment will be reviewed annually, which suggests the partners will assess uptake and performance before adjusting the programme if needed. 

This move comes shortly after Unilever and Equity Bank announced a strategic distributor financing partnership mid last year, 2025, aimed at strengthening manufacturing supply chains, improving product availability and accelerating growth across markets. 

The initiative was designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the fast-moving consumer goods sector by giving distributors better access to working capital, which should improve stock availability and expand reach into underserved areas.

Under the arrangement, Equity Bank will provide tailored credit to Unilever distributors, helping them manage day-to-day operations, improve inventory management and support last-mile delivery so products remain accessible to consumers across the region. 

The bank said the collaboration is intended to extend affordable, accessible financing to traders who play a key role in the economy, while leveraging its presence across all 47 counties to scale the solution.

Unilever said the partnership reflects its commitment to sustainability and inclusive growth, adding that the financing drive will help business partners access affordable credit, build capacity and unlock new commercial opportunities. 

The company also said it expects the initiative to channel about KES 2.4 billion annually into the ecosystem, strengthening supply chains, creating jobs and supporting economic development within its business communities in Kenya.

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