Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Co-hosted by: Underwriting Africa & Sky Re
In March 2026, Sky Reinsurance Brokers in partnership with Underwriting Africa, hosted the inaugural Credit Risk & Trade Finance Conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Unlike the other industry events we attended this quarter, this conference marked a significant milestone for us—not just as participants, but as conveners—bringing together key stakeholders to strengthen knowledge, build capacity, and advance the understanding of credit risk across African markets.
At its core, the conference was designed as a market education platform—creating space for practical conversations, shared learning, and deeper engagement around trade finance and risk management.
Why We Hosted This Conference
Across many African markets, access to structured knowledge on credit risk and trade finance remains limited. While demand for solutions such as trade credit insurance continues to grow, there is still a gap in understanding how these instruments work, when to use them, and how they can support business growth.
This conference was our response to that gap.
By bringing together banks, insurers, brokers, and corporates, we aimed to:
Demystify trade credit and risk mitigation solutions
Bridge the knowledge gap between providers and users
Create a platform for dialogue and collaboration
Strengthen local capacity in risk assessment and management
What We Covered
The sessions were intentionally designed to be practical and relevant to the Tanzanian and broader East African market.
Key areas of focus included:
Understanding credit risk in African markets (how to assess counterparty risk in data-scarce environments)
Trade credit insurance fundamentals (how it works and where it adds value)
Structuring trade finance solutions (aligning products to real business needs)
Regulatory considerations (navigating diverse and evolving frameworks)
Case-based discussions (real-world applications and lessons learned)
A recurring theme throughout the conference was the importance of context—recognizing that African markets require localized approaches rather than imported models.
Key Insights from the Conference
Several important insights emerged from the discussions:
Education is a critical enabler of market growth
Many businesses are willing to adopt risk solutions once they understand them clearly
Data limitations require adaptive approaches
In the absence of comprehensive credit data, experience and local knowledge remain essential
There is strong, untapped demand for trade credit insurance
Particularly among SMEs and mid-sized corporates
Collaboration is key to scaling solutions
Banks, insurers, and brokers must work together more closely
Capacity building must be continuous
One-off engagements are not enough—markets need sustained support
What This Means for Underwriting Africa
Hosting this inaugural conference reinforces our role not just as a solution provider, but as a market builder.
Education is not a parallel activity—it is central to our strategy. By investing in knowledge-sharing and capacity building, we are strengthening the very ecosystems in which our products operate.
This approach has several strategic implications:
It builds trust and credibility with stakeholders
It accelerates adoption of trade credit and risk solutions
It enables more informed underwriting through better-informed clients
It positions us as long-term partners in market development
A Foundation for the Future
The success of this inaugural conference is only the beginning.
There is a clear opportunity—and responsibility—to continue creating platforms that educate, connect, and empower stakeholders across Africa. As markets evolve, so must the level of understanding and sophistication in how risk is managed.
Together with Sky Re, we are committed to expanding this initiative and deepening our engagement across the region.
Because ultimately, stronger markets are built on stronger knowledge—and that is where sustainable growth begins.