Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) says it has invested Sh90 million in a Business Intelligence (BI) Tool aimed at easing trade in Kenya through extraction and analysis of real-time data to help trade facilitators and government agencies make data-driven decisions.
KenTrade chief executive Officer, Amos Wangora, said the move will see the agency harness relevant data from stakeholders’ systems.
In addition, it will support better visibility of Mombasa Port, and the Northern Corridor Community Charter for improved decision-making and efficiency.
“In the past, we have experienced limitations of report generation features on the TradeNet System and there was a need for better reports, and insight gathering especially for cross-border trade,” Wangora said.
The tool, which was co-founded by TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) went alive on Thursday, June 30.
”The BI will also help the Agency visualise internal and external strengths and weaknesses, detect opportunities for more innovation and will be instrumental in the agency’s goal of reducing the cost of doing business in Kenya,” he explained.
During the rollout phases, Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) will each be given a license to access reports and visualisations relevant to their data.
At the same time, the PGAs will access standard reports and ad-hoc reporting capabilities free of charge.
The Mombasa Port and Northern Corridor Community Charter (MPNCCC) related reports will be published on its website, while more analytical and complex reports will be provided at a cost.
KenTrade currently interfaces 38 PGAs among them Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Mombasa Port and Northern Corridor Community Charter.
Others are the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, banks and insurance firms.
New state agencies to benefit from the tool include the National Treasury, Trade & Industry, Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association and the Shippers Council.
