Doshi, one of Kenya’s biggest hardware and electrical suppliers, just joined tabb, a new fintech platform building trade credit infrastructure. If you run a small business that buys inventory, this partnership signals a real shift in how you could access working capital.
The problem most SMEs face
Most small businesses (retailers, hardware shops, subcontractors) face the same bottleneck. You need cash upfront to buy in bulk, but cash is tight. So you buy small orders at higher prices, your margins shrink, and you can’t grow. Meanwhile, suppliers often end up as unofficial lenders, extending credit informally and eating the cost when payments don’t come through.
Banks typically stay out of this. The perception is that small business lending is risky, costly to service, and not worth their time. SMEs make up roughly 90% of Africa’s businesses and drive 60% of employment yet they face a $350 billion financing gap. In Kenya’s construction and hardware sector, this squeeze is even tighter.
How tabb works
tabb isn’t a bank. They’re building the rails that let banks, suppliers, and SMEs transact smoothly without friction. Here’s what happens:
- Suppliers like Doshi join the network and enable Pay with tabb at checkout.
- You get approved for a credit line. A one-time application gets you a bank-issued revolving credit line.
- You buy stock, they get paid same-day. You repay over 30–90 days with no interest.
Suppliers don’t wait for payment. You don’t max out your cash. Banks finally serve small businesses profitably because the risk is managed and the transaction is guaranteed.
What this means for your business
With Doshi now in the network, hardware retailers, subcontractors, and construction businesses can unlock purchasing power exactly when they need it. Buy in bulk without draining your account. Stock materials for projects faster. Improve your margins.
As Doshi’s director, Hemal, puts it: “For years, trade customers across the market have been constrained by limited working capital, holding back their ability to purchase in bulk, expand, and grow. By joining the tabb network, we’re removing that constraint. We can now confidently say ‘yes’ to every customer and unlock faster growth right at the point of purchase.”
The bigger picture
tabb was founded by Mesh Alloys, co-founder and former CEO of Sendy and co-founder of Boya. He’s building the financial infrastructure that’s been missing from Africa’s B2B trade.
Post-dated cheques still dominate. Banks avoid small business lending. Suppliers carry informal debt. SMEs stay small. tabb’s model makes credit instant, usable, and profitable for everyone involved.
Mesh explains: “This partnership is a live blueprint for the future of trade on the continent. Doshi’s move validates a massive need: SMEs finally get the purchasing power and extended payment terms to grow, suppliers get paid instantly, and banks can profitably serve small businesses at scale. This is the network effect that makes trade credit work.”
If this works, if thousands of SMEs start using tabb and repayment rates stay healthy — this becomes the template for how trade financing works across Africa.
About tabb
tabb is building the trade credit infrastructure that connects banks, suppliers, and SMEs. We create a network where banks can profitably issue credit lines to small businesses, credit that is instantly accepted by a growing network of suppliers. Want to learn more? Head over to tabb to see how the network works and whether your business qualifies.
Media Contact:
Terryanne Chebet | Quill & Foundry Communications| +254 728202055| [email protected]
