By Brian Yatich
Doshi has partnered with trade credit network tabb in a deal aimed at easing persistent working capital constraints facing Kenya’s construction and hardware SMEs.
The agreement brings Doshi into tabb’s growing supplier network, allowing hardware retailers, contractors, and subcontractors to purchase materials using bank-issued, interest-free revolving credit lines. SMEs can now buy inventory without upfront cash payments, while Doshi receives prompt settlement at the point of sale.
The move targets one of the sector’s biggest bottlenecks: limited access to affordable working capital. Many SMEs are unable to purchase in bulk or take on larger projects due to cash flow gaps, even where demand exists.
“Trade customers have long been constrained by limited working capital, slowing their ability to grow,” said Hemal, Director at Doshi. “By joining the tabb network, we are removing that barrier and enabling customers to transact with confidence.”
Under tabb’s model, SMEs apply once for a revolving credit line issued by partner banks. The credit can be used instantly across approved suppliers such as Doshi. Upon purchase, the supplier is paid immediately, while the SME repays the bank over 30 to 90 days, interest-free.
tabb founder Mesh Alloys said the partnership demonstrates how embedded trade credit can realign incentives across supply chains. “SMEs gain purchasing power, suppliers protect their cash flow, and banks can profitably extend credit at scale. This is how trade credit should work,” he said.
The collaboration marks tabb’s deeper entry into Kenya’s construction and hardware segment, a sector characterised by high inventory costs and tight margins.
The partners aim to help retailers maintain optimal stock levels and enable subcontractors to execute projects more efficiently.
SMEs account for about 90 per cent of businesses across Africa and generate roughly 60 per cent of employment, yet face an estimated $350 billion financing gap.
tabb positions itself as infrastructure rather than a lender, providing the rails that allow banks to issue credit that is instantly accepted across a network of suppliers.
As digital payments, bank APIs, and SME digitisation continue to advance, partnerships such as Doshi and tabb signal a shift toward more structured, scalable trade credit systems in Kenya’s real economy.
