EMFADCourses
Basket
Instant access by email once payment is confirmed14-day refundSecure checkoutSupport by email, phone and WhatsApp

Business and Entrepreneurship

Import and Export Basics for East Africa

Plan, cost and carry out a small import or export shipment in East Africa with the right terms, documents, payments and customs steps.

Level
Beginner
Format
Written, self-paced
Length
About 6 hours
Lessons
15
Modules
4
Certificate
Yes, verifiable
Last updated
October 2026

About this course

Learn the steps, documents and costs involved in importing and exporting goods in East Africa, including customs clearance, Incoterms, payments and regional trade arrangements.

Self-paced written course: text lessons, practical exercises, module quizzes and a final project, delivered online. No video and no live tutor.

What you will learn

  • Explain how goods, documents, money and risk move in an international trade
  • Choose a product and market and vet overseas suppliers or buyers
  • Select suitable Incoterms, freight modes and payment methods for a shipment
  • Prepare and check the core trade documents for customs and banks
  • Describe the customs clearance steps and how EAC, COMESA and AfCFTA preferences work
  • Calculate landed cost and build a risk-managed trade plan for one product

Curriculum

Module 1Trade Foundations4 lessons
  1. 1How International Trade Works4 min read Free preview
  2. 2Choosing Products and Markets4 min read
  3. 3Finding and Vetting Overseas Suppliers and Buyers3 min read
  4. 4Product Standards and Certification Awareness3 min read
  5. QuizModule quiz, 4 questions
Module 2Terms, Shipping and Payment4 lessons
  1. 5Incoterms Explained with Examples4 min read
  2. 6Sea, Air and Road Freight Options4 min read
  3. 7Working with Freight Forwarders and Clearing Agents3 min read
  4. 8Trade Payments: Telegraphic Transfer, Letters of Credit and Collections4 min read
  5. QuizModule quiz, 4 questions
Module 3Customs and Documentation4 lessons
  1. 9Key Trade Documents: Invoice, Packing List and Bill of Lading3 min read
  2. 10Tariff Classification and Duties in Principle3 min read
  3. 11Customs Clearance Steps and Single Window Systems3 min read
  4. 12The EAC Customs Union, COMESA and AfCFTA in Brief3 min read
  5. QuizModule quiz, 4 questions
Module 4Costing and Risk3 lessons
  1. 13Calculating Landed Cost3 min read
  2. 14Managing Currency, Delay and Quality Risk3 min read
  3. 15Course Project: Import or Export Plan for One Product3 min read
  4. QuizModule quiz, 4 questions

Final project

Import or Export Plan for One Product. A practical brief with ordered steps, what to produce and how to check your own work. You confirm it in your learner area.

Who it is for

  • Traders and small business owners who want to import or export goods
  • Small manufacturers looking for regional or overseas markets
  • Procurement and logistics staff who deal with suppliers, agents and customs

Not for you if you already work confidently with everything in the curriculum below. Look at the other business and entrepreneurship courses instead.

Requirements

  • No prior trade experience needed
  • A computer or smartphone with a spreadsheet app for costing exercises
  • A product idea you would like to import or export, to use in the exercises

What is included

  • 15 written lessons
  • 15 practical exercises
  • 4 module quizzes
  • A final project
  • Certificate of completion with a verification code
  • Lifetime access to what you buy

Questions about this course

What do I need before I start?

No prior trade experience needed. A computer or smartphone with a spreadsheet app for costing exercises. A product idea you would like to import or export, to use in the exercises.

What device do I need?

A phone, tablet or computer with a modern web browser and an internet connection. Lessons are written, so they work on slow connections.

How long do I have access?

Lifetime access to the full course or to any module you buy. All Access and Teams give 12 months of access to every course.

Can I get a refund?

Yes: a full refund within 14 days of purchase if you have completed less than 30% of the course (or of the module, for a single module). Read the refund policy.

Should I buy a module or the full course?

A module (USD 10) unlocks that module's lessons and quiz. The full course (USD 39) unlocks everything and leads to the certificate. If you buy modules first, each one you own is credited at USD 10 when you buy the full course.

Which currency will I pay in?

US dollars (USD). Prices include all taxes where applicable. Your bank may apply its own conversion fee. Card payment is being set up with our bank. After you place your order we email you payment instructions within one working day; your access starts as soon as payment is confirmed.

Business and Entrepreneurship learning path

All 14 open courses in this subject for USD 339. Bought separately they cost USD 576, so you save USD 237.

See the path

More in Business and Entrepreneurship.

All business and entrepreneurship courses

USD 39Full course