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Diaspora Trade Consultant and Founder, Enny Bakers, is spearheading a new vision for African trade, moving beyond traditional models of aid and logistics to create a platform that directly connects African producers with global markets.
In a recent online post, Bakers emphasized the beautiful complexity of her work, stating it is “not just about logistics or tech infrastructure, it’s about trust, education, policy gaps, and reimagining value chains that were never designed with us in mind.”
Key Challenges in Global African Trade
Bakers highlighted several significant obstacles faced while building the platform, which aims to unlock the continent’s economic potential. These challenges include the arduous tasks of navigating fragmented supply chains across different regions and aligning local realities with global compliance standards.
Furthermore, she noted the need for training teams that are dispersed across diverse regions and the delicate act of balancing cultural authenticity with premium branding for international appeal. She also stressed the difficulty of achieving all this while simultaneously bootstrapping, iterating, and leading with vision.
Bakers cited personal stories that motivate her work, showcasing tangible impacts her platform is already achieving. She noted the success of “The farmer in Kano who now exports ginger to Europe,” “The diaspora agent in Toronto onboarding their first 10 vendors,” and “The young designer in Lagos whose packaging now sits on shelves in Dubai.”
A Movement, Not Just a Company
Bakers concluded her statement with a powerful quote, framing her work as a transformative, long-term effort for the continent:
“The belief that Africa’s trade story is not one of aid, but of agency… I’m not just building a company. I’m building a movement.”
