Smeda and Alibaba.com to Train 10,000 Pakistani SMEs and Onboard Up to 2,000

Smeda and Alibaba.com will train 10,000 Pakistani small and medium enterprises and facilitate the onboarding of up to 2,000 eligible businesses to the international B2B platform, with financial support of up to Rs150,000 each. Business Recorder reported the programme follows a Strategic Cooperation Agreement between the two.

How the Smeda and Alibaba.com Programme Works

The initiative follows a Strategic Cooperation Agreement between Smeda, which operates under the Ministry of Industries and Production, and Alibaba.com. Eligible SMEs will receive reimbursement-based financial assistance of up to Rs150,000 from Smeda, along with preferential pricing, onboarding facilitation and technical guidance from Alibaba.com. Capacity-building and training opportunities will also be provided to help local businesses connect with international buyers.

Officials said priority would be given to export-oriented sectors, including sports goods and sportswear, textiles, agricultural machinery and auto parts. The selection and onboarding process would remain transparent, with facilities available to eligible businesses. Interested businesses can register through Smeda's online portal at smerp.smeda.org.

Smeda Chief Executive Officer Nadia Jahangir Seth said the initiative reflected the government's vision of promoting exports and using technology to create new business opportunities. She said the partnership was part of Smeda's continued efforts to help Pakistani SMEs access global markets.

Alibaba.com earlier organised the AI Export × New Supply Growth Summit 2026 in Faisalabad, marking the launch of DigiSME Pakistan in the city, where participants explored AI-enabled tools and global digital trade opportunities.

Smeda's Earlier Export and Finance Partnerships

According to akta.pro company records, Smeda signed an Implementation Cooperation Framework Agreement with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan in February 2026 to provide on-ground support for MSME export readiness, including training and finance access. The same records show a February 2026 collaboration with Pakistan Mortgage and Investment Company to enhance microenterprise access to finance, with explicit focus on underserved segments and women entrepreneurs. Smeda's records list more than 150,774 SME facilitations and more than 4,750 trainings conducted.

Steps Leading to the Alibaba.com Agreement

In September 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed Smeda to formulate a comprehensive strategy for financial assistance to SMEs and businesspersons, with the strategy to expand programmes, include women's participation and use digital platforms for trade access, Business Recorder reported. Smeda and the State Bank of Pakistan held a seminar on cluster-based lending in September 2026, where SME financing was reported up 30.5% year-on-year to Rs901.6 billion and borrowers up 15.18% to 318,585, according to Business Recorder. In August 2026, Smeda and SEDF met in Lahore to discuss collaboration on enhancing access to finance for micro, small and medium enterprises, Business Recorder reported.

The collaboration builds on a memorandum of understanding signed in May 2026 during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to China to promote SME internationalisation, digital commerce and export development.