SMEDA and Alibaba.com sign deal to help Pakistani MSMEs export online
SMEDA and Alibaba.com have formed a strategic partnership to help Pakistani small and medium businesses sell abroad through digital commerce. Officials say the programme aims to train 10,000 businesses and onboard up to 2,000 on Alibaba.com's B2B marketplace.
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- SMEDA and Alibaba.com signed a strategic cooperation agreement, reported on 30 October.
- The aim is to train 10,000 MSMEs and onboard up to 2,000 to Alibaba.com's B2B marketplace.
- SMEDA will reimburse up to Rs150,000 to each eligible enterprise.
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and the global e-commerce platform Alibaba.com have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to help Pakistani micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sell internationally through digital commerce, Associated Press of Pakistan reported from Lahore on 30 October.
According to the reports, entrepreneurs across the country now have access to Alibaba.com to improve their export readiness and link with global buyers. APP said SMEDA made this possible under the strategic direction of the Ministry of Industries and Production.
The two organisations will jointly introduce a programme to support the digital transformation of Pakistani businesses and their integration into international markets. Eligible applicants will receive training, digital onboarding, preferential commercial packages, financial assistance and access to international buyers through Alibaba.com's B2B platform.
According to officials, the initiative aims to train 10,000 MSMEs and onboard up to 2,000 eligible businesses to the B2B marketplace. SMEDA will provide reimbursement-based financial support of up to Rs150,000 to each eligible participating enterprise, while Alibaba.com will offer preferential pricing, technical assistance and onboarding facilitation.
Minute Mirror reported that the partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two organisations in May 2026, during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to China.
Export-oriented industries receiving special attention include sports goods and sportswear, textiles, agricultural machinery and automobile parts.
Interested entrepreneurs can register through SMEDA's official online portal, smerp.smeda.org. Minute Mirror also reported that Alibaba.com organised the AI Export x New Supply Growth Summit 2026 in Faisalabad, where it launched the DigiSME Pakistan initiative.
Why it matters
Small and medium Pakistani exporters, including in sports goods, textiles, agricultural machinery and auto parts, get a government-backed route to sell through Alibaba.com, with training and reimbursement of up to Rs150,000.
