Smeda and Daraz Pakistan explore collaboration on SME e-commerce

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority and the e-commerce platform Daraz Pakistan are to explore areas of collaboration aimed at helping Pakistani small and medium-sized enterprises build digital capabilities and reach online markets, Smeda said.

The potential areas were discussed at a meeting between Smeda chief executive Nadia Jahangir Seth and Daraz Pakistan managing director Ben Yi. According to Smeda, the two organisations looked at e-commerce education, capacity building and initiatives to support women-led businesses, in line with the Ministry of Industries' strategic direction on SME digitalisation and inclusive development. The two sides said they would explore the scope for collaboration further.

A central item was Smeda's forthcoming e-commerce programme, which the authority says will equip SMEs with practical knowledge to take part in the digital economy. Smeda and Daraz also explored whether the platform could contribute its e-commerce expertise to a specialised curriculum covering setting up and managing an online business, product listings and merchandising, digital marketing, customer engagement and payments.

Women entrepreneurs feature in the discussions, with a focus on helping more women-led businesses develop digital skills, market access and the confidence to establish and grow an online presence.

Smeda chief executive Nadia Jahangir Seth said: "Digital transformation presents a significant opportunity for Pakistan's SMEs to improve their competitiveness, reach new markets and build sustainable businesses. Smeda is working to strengthen the capabilities of entrepreneurs through practical and accessible programmes and e-commerce will be an important part of this journey." She said collaboration with industry leaders such as Daraz could help ensure that entrepreneurs receive relevant, market-oriented skills, and that the authority was particularly focused on creating greater opportunities for women entrepreneurs through targeted capacity building, digital inclusion and market access.