Afreximbank has reaffirmed its commitment to scaling up intra-African trade, industrialisation, and value-chain development under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), promising stronger policy backing and trade-financing instruments to ensure no African country is left behind in the rollout of the continental single market.
The assurances were given in Abuja on Monday by Dr. Gainmore Zanamwe, Director of Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, during the AfCFTA Public Sector, Private Sector, and Press Summit.
Zanamwe disclosed that Afreximbank has created a suite of innovative financing tools to accelerate trade and investment across the continent.
“Afreximbank designed a range of financing and trade facilitation instruments to support intra-African trade and the AfCFTA,” he said. “We disbursed $20bn between 2017 and 2021 in support of intra-African trade and investment, and we are on course to double this to $40bn by 2026.”
He highlighted two flagship initiatives—the Global Facility for Intra-African Trade Champions (INTRA-CHAMPS) and the Engineer, Procure and Contract (EPC) Initiative—which serve as vehicles for scaling African industries and strengthening productive capacity.
Under INTRA-CHAMPS, beneficiary companies receive financing, guarantees, advisory services, ecosystem support, and export facilitation to expand across the continent. Zanamwe said the programme is already shaping Africa’s industrial growth, citing major beneficiaries such as ElSewedy Electric and the Dangote Group.
He noted that ElSewedy Electric has expanded into more than 15 African countries with Afreximbank’s backing, while Dangote’s cement, fertiliser, and refinery operations continue to anchor regional value chains.
“We are not just financing trade,” he said. “We are laying the foundation for industrialisation, competitiveness and sustainable prosperity.”
Zanamwe stressed the bank’s strong presence at the P3 Summit as proof of its commitment to making the AfCFTA a fully operational and impactful platform.
“Our presence at this gathering is a clear testament that Afreximbank is fully committed to making the single market under the AfCFTA a reality,” he stated. “We are committed to taking the AfCFTA from a mere legal instrument to a catalyst for industrialisation and regional value chains.”
He added that the transition to a liberalised trade system would present challenges, particularly for countries adjusting to new tariff structures. To cushion the effects, Afreximbank and the AfCFTA Secretariat have established the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, supported by an initial $1bn commitment.
Of this amount, $100m has been allocated to the Credit Fund for business development, while $10m has been placed in the Base Fund to support policy reforms. The Credit Fund is already operational, with $10m disbursed since April 2025.
Zanamwe also emphasised trade standards and export competitiveness as essential components of AfCFTA success. He noted that Afreximbank supported the development of the Africa Quality Policy and reviewed the Nigeria Quality Policy to strengthen product readiness and marketability.
To maximise the benefits, he urged Nigeria to pass and implement the National Quality and Food Safety Bill, saying it would improve product quality, strengthen value chains, and boost the viability of African Quality Assurance Centres in the country.
“The AfCFTA is Africa’s pathway to economic transformation,” he said. “But it will take collective commitment, bold reforms, and strategic investments to unlock its full promise.”
Ending on a forward-looking note, Zanamwe declared, “The future of African trade is continental, integrated and industrialised—and the time to act is now.”
