Day 30 | #40Days40FinTechs Zambia and Malawi Edition
In Malawi, informal cross-border trade is a vital source of income for thousands especially women. Yet, this sector continues to face persistent challenges, particularly the lack of timely and reliable market and trade data. That’s the gap Trade Flow Analytics is determined to close.
Founded in 2024, Trade Flow Analytics is a digital platform that equips informal cross-border traders with real-time access to crucial trade information, including foreign exchange rates, market trends, and regulatory guidelines. Available via a mobile app, the platform helps traders make informed decisions that protect them from losses and inefficiencies.
“We’re a young FinTech start-up using data analysis to empower women cross-border traders,” said Deborah Jalakasi, Managing Director of Trade Flow Analytics. “Our goal is to provide real-time, actionable insights accessible anytime through a smartphone and internet connection.”
Jalakasi’s motivation is rooted in personal experience. As a former cross-border trader between Malawi and South Africa, she suffered significant losses due to a lack of current market information. That frustration became the inspiration to create a tool that ensures others don’t face the same challenges.
The Trade Flow app, downloadable from the Google Play Store, features a user-friendly dashboard with modules for forex updates, market prices, and trade regulations. Users subscribe for a small fee and gain access to curated data that empowers their trading decisions.
The platform has already been piloted at the Mchinji/Mwami border between Malawi and Zambia, with plans to expand across more regional borders. However, like many start-ups, Trade Flow Analytics faces barriers such as limited access to updated data, digital illiteracy, internet connectivity issues, and low adoption among traders unfamiliar with smartphone technologies.
Jalakasi is calling for broader support through initiatives like #40Days40FinTechs: “If we get financial backing, we can scale faster design outreach materials, run onboarding campaigns, and train women to use the app effectively.”
Trade Flow Analytics’ innovative approach earned it top honors at the 2025 COMESA Women in FinTech Hackathon for Zambia and Malawi, winning $2,000 and recognition for its gender-intentional design.
The platform was showcased on Day 30 of the #40Days40FinTechs Zambia and Malawi Edition, a continental initiative that has highlighted over 200 FinTech stories across Africa. The program continues to amplify financial inclusion and innovation by giving African FinTechs visibility, mentorship, and tools like Mojaloop open source software, Level One Project principles, and inclusive finance systems.
Trade Flow Analytics is more than just a data tool it’s a catalyst for transforming informal trade and empowering women entrepreneurs across the region.
