Bank targets $40bn intra-African trade financing by 2026, expands support for industries and value-chain development
The African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening intra-African trade, industrialisation and regional value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), promising expanded financing tools and stronger policy support to ensure that every member state benefits from the continent-wide market.
The pledge was delivered in Abuja on Monday by Director of Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, Dr. Gainmore Zanamwe, during the AfCFTA Public Sector, Private Sector and Press Summit (P3 Summit).
Zanamwe said the bank has designed a suite of innovative instruments to unlock new levels of trade and investment across Africa.
“Afreximbank has developed a range of financing and trade-facilitation tools to support intra-African trade and the AfCFTA,” he said. “We disbursed $20 billion between 2017 and 2021 and are on course to double that to $40 billion by 2026.”
Flagship Programmes Powering Industrial Expansion
Highlighting the bank’s catalytic interventions, Zanamwe pointed to two major programmes, the Global Facility for Intra-African Trade Champions (INTRA-CHAMPS) and the Engineer, Procure and Contract (EPC) Initiative which aim to build strong regional industrial champions and boost the continent’s manufacturing capacity.
Through INTRA-CHAMPS, Afreximbank provides financing, guarantees, advisory support and ecosystem-building services to companies capable of expanding across borders. Zanamwe said the initiative is already reshaping Africa’s industrial space.
He cited ElSewedy Electric, which used Afreximbank support to expand operations into more than 15 African countries, and the Dangote Group, one of the bank’s longest-standing partners, whose cement, fertiliser and refinery operations now anchor several regional value chains.
“These examples demonstrate that African firms, when equipped with the right tools—can drive the continent’s industrial revolution,” he said. “We are not just financing trade; we are laying the foundation for competitiveness and sustainable prosperity.”
Afreximbank Reinforces Commitment to AfCFTA Rollout
Zanamwe said the bank’s strong presence at the P3 Summit underscores its determination to ensure that the AfCFTA becomes fully operational.
“Our presence is a clear message: Afreximbank is committed to turning the AfCFTA from a legal instrument into a real engine of industrialisation and value-chain development,” he said.
He noted that Afreximbank will continue deploying its financing tools to accelerate implementation of the continental market. “Our mandate is to promote African trade, and the AfCFTA provides the framework for doing exactly that.”
Adjustment Fund Designed to Support Vulnerable Economies
Recognising the challenges some countries may face while adjusting to new tariff regimes, Zanamwe explained that Afreximbank, in partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat, established the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, backed by a $1 billion commitment.
Of this amount:
- $100 million has been set aside for the Credit Fund, dedicated to commercial projects.
- $10 million has been allocated to the Base Fund, which will support policy reforms and compensate countries for temporary tariff-revenue losses.
“The Credit Fund is fully operational, with $10 million already disbursed,” he said. He added that fundraising efforts, which began in April 2025, are progressing, with the Base Fund ready to provide grants to countries that need help navigating the transition.
Strengthening Standards, Quality and Competitiveness
Zanamwe also emphasised the importance of product standards, quality assurance and export readiness cornerstones of a successful continental market. He said Afreximbank supported the development of the Africa Quality Policy and participated in the review of the Nigeria Quality Policy to strengthen the country’s quality infrastructure.
However, he stressed that Nigeria must consolidate these efforts by passing the National Quality and Food Safety Bill, which would give local producers access to higher-quality inputs, help manufacturers meet export requirements and make Nigerian goods more competitive across regional value chains.
He added that the legislation would also secure the long-term viability of the African Quality Assurance Centres (AQACs) operating in Nigeria, enabling them to deliver greater value to exporters.
“The AfCFTA Is Africa’s Gateway to Transformation”
Throughout his remarks, Zanamwe maintained that the AfCFTA offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Africa to industrialise, scale production and create shared prosperity.
“The AfCFTA is Africa’s pathway to economic transformation,” he said. “But unlocking its full promise requires collective commitment, bold reforms and strategic investments.”
He ended on a rallying note: “The future of African trade is continental, integrated and industrialised and the time to act is now.”
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