Everything You Need to Know About Bids and Tenders in Africa

Winning a tender in Africa can change your business. It gives you steady work. It gives you predictable revenue. And it can open doors to bigger contracts in the future. The problem is most people do not understand how the bidding world works. Many do not know where to find tenders. Others do not know what they need to qualify. And a lot of people simply give up before they even start.

This guide breaks everything down in simple language. No jargon. Just the truth.

What exactly are tenders

A tender is a public notice from a government agency or a large company. It tells the public that they need a product or a service. It can be anything. Furniture. Office equipment. Roads. Schools. Software. Consultancy. Anything.

Once that notice is published, companies can apply. That application is what people call a bid. You are basically raising your hand and saying that your company can deliver what they want.

The reason tenders are a strong way to grow your business is simple. The buyer already knows they want the service. You do not need to convince them. You only need to prove that you can deliver. In B2B, there is nothing better than selling to someone who already needs what you offer.

What you need to qualify

Governments and large organizations do not give work to anyone. They follow strict checks before awarding any contract. These checks fall into two categories.

• Compliance: This is basic paperwork. You must prove that your company is legally registered. You must show that you have the right licenses. You must show that you are up to date with your taxes. In Uganda, you need your certificate of incorporation and your tax clearance. In Kenya, the same. In South Africa, they may add things like a BEE certificate. If your documents are messy, you will fail at the first stage. Make sure everything is in order.

• Experience and past work: Compliance alone is not enough. You must show proof that you have done similar work before. A government will not give you a road project when you have never built even a small driveway. Even private companies want evidence that you know what you are doing.

  Document your work. Keep photos. Keep contracts. Keep reference letters. Keep anything that shows you can deliver. When evaluators sit down to choose who gets the job, this evidence is what builds trust.

Where to find tenders in Africa

There are three main sources.

1. Government portals

   Each country has its own official platform. South Africa uses eTenders. Uganda uses the EGP portal. Kenya has its supply chain portal. Nigeria has its own systems as well.

   These portals are free. They publish everything from small tenders to massive projects. The challenge is that they only focus on government opportunities. If you want private sector tenders, you will need to look elsewhere.

2. Newspapers

   Many companies still advertise tenders through newspapers. In Uganda, the New Vision publishes them weekly. Some appear on Mondays. Others on Thursdays. It is old school but it still works.

3. Trembi Bids

   Most people do not have time to check multiple portals. Many do not want to go through ten different websites or flip through a newspaper. This is why many businesses use Trembi.

   Trembi has a full section dedicated to bids and tenders. The platform uses AI to collect tenders in real time from different sources. It does not matter if the tender is from Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, or the US. You can search by country. You can search by category. You can search by keyword. You see the deadline. You see the contact person. You get the email. You get the phone number.

   The newer version of Trembi even allows you to upload your documents directly. This saves you time because everything is in one place. And since Trembi is built for sales, you also get other tools like outbound outreach, referrals, influencer marketing, and a marketplace. Many businesses use bids as one of several ways to get clients. Trembi brings them all together.

How the bidding process works

Once you find a tender that matches your service, the next step is simple.

Read the requirements. Prepare your documents. Attach your compliance papers. Attach your proof of experience. Submit before the deadline. Some tenders will ask for a physical submission. Others accept online submissions. Some want bid security. Others do not.

Every tender is different. Read everything carefully.

Why tenders are a strong customer acquisition channel

Tenders give you predictable work. Many contracts run for one to three years. Once you win, the client sticks with you for the full contract period. You do not chase invoices every week. You do not hunt for new clients every month.

For B2B companies, this is one of the easiest ways to stabilize income.

Final thoughts

Bids and tenders are not difficult once you understand the process. You only need three things. Clean compliance documents. Clear proof of past work. And a place to find the right opportunities.

If you want a simple way to find and track tenders across Africa and beyond, Trembi gives you everything in one dashboard. You can find bids, submit documents, reach out to clients, run marketing, and grow your business from the same place.

If you want a deeper guide or want help building your bidding system, tell me and I will break it down further.