Afreximbank Targets $40bn to Boost African Trade by 2026
Atume Terfa
Afreximbank is pushing forward with an ambitious plan to double its support for intra-African trade to $40 billion by 2026, a move it believes will accelerate economic integration across the continent. The bank, which previously disbursed $20 billion between 2017 and 2021, is now scaling up through a mix of strategic initiatives, partnerships, and new trade-facilitation tools.
To hit the $40 billion mark, Afreximbank is expanding flagship programmes such as the Global Facility for Intra-African Trade Champions and the Engineer-Procure-Contract (EPC) Initiative, both designed to strengthen regional supply chains and empower African businesses. A major component of this push is its collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat and Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms to set up the Africa Trade & Distribution Company (ATDC), a new entity expected to deliver logistics support, market intelligence, aggregation services and distribution channels for small and medium enterprises.
The bank is also deepening its investment in trade infrastructure, including the Pan-African Payments and Settlements System (PAPSS), which enables transactions in local currencies and reduces dependence on dollar-denominated settlements. Another innovation is the Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme, which introduces a unified, technology-driven transit bond to simplify the movement of goods across multiple African borders — a major bottleneck for continental trade.
Afreximbank’s aggressive financing plan comes at a crucial time. Africa still battles an annual trade-finance gap of about $100 billion, limiting opportunities for businesses and slowing intra-regional commerce. Yet, indicators suggest progress: intra-African trade rose to $220.3 billion in 2024, a 12.4% increase over the previous year, demonstrating growing momentum behind the AfCFTA vision.
However, the path ahead is not without risks. Analysts note that the bank’s increasing exposure to sovereign lending has raised concerns among credit-rating agencies, while persistent challenges such as weak cross-border infrastructure, regulatory inconsistencies and high logistics costs could slow the pace of progress.
Still, Afreximbank insists its $40 billion target reflects a long-term commitment to building a more resilient, interconnected and self-reliant continent. The bank argues that unlocking Africa’s trade potential will depend not only on financing but on smarter partnerships, strong regional value chains, and harmonised policies that make cross-border commerce easier and more profitable for African businesses.
