I&M Bank has announced a partnership with global trade finance technology provider Surecomp to strengthen and modernise its trade finance services, as the bank looks to make it easier for customers to do business across the region. The announcement was made in Nairobi, Kenya, on September 16, 2026.
The partnership will see I&M introduce an integrated digital trade finance platform, starting in Kenya before expanding to Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Bank One in Mauritius, part of the I&M Group. The investment comes as businesses increasingly turn to their banking partners for faster, simpler ways to manage trade transactions. For I&M, the new platform will bring different stages of the trade finance journey onto a more integrated system, cutting reliance on manual processes and paperwork while improving turnaround times for customers.
The platform is also expected to strengthen the bank’s ability to support growing trade volumes across its markets, while improving operational efficiency and risk and compliance processes.
Carolyne Mulandi, I&M Bank’s Head of Trade & Financial Institutions, said the investment reflects the bank’s focus on improving the trade experience for businesses while building stronger regional capabilities. “For our customers, trade is ultimately about being able to move goods, make payments and do business efficiently. As their businesses grow and increasingly operate across markets, they need their bank to keep pace with them. This investment is about simplifying that experience, reducing turnaround times and giving our customers a stronger trade finance partner across the region.”
Through the partnership, I&M Bank will deploy Surecomp’s DOKA-NG and RIVO solutions to support the digitisation of its trade finance operations. The technology is intended to help the bank streamline trade processing and provide a more consistent experience as the rollout extends across its regional network.
Tal Weiser, Surecomp’s Chief Revenue Officer, said, “Our partnership with I&M Bank reflects the rapidly growing focus among African banks on using SaaS technology to make trade finance more accessible, efficient and scalable. We are pleased to support I&M as it strengthens its trade capabilities across the region and creates a more seamless experience for its customers.”
The rollout forms part of I&M Bank’s broader investment in technology and digital capabilities to improve customer experience and support businesses operating within and across African markets.
Digital Trade Outlook: This deployment reflects a wider pattern of African banks adopting SaaS based trade finance platforms to modernise operations that have historically relied on paper and manual processing. By rolling out across five markets through a single platform, I&M is betting on standardisation as the path to scale, a strategy that could set a template for other regional banking groups navigating similarly fragmented trade infrastructure across African markets.