At the opening of its 25th Annual Trade Finance Seminar in Abidjan, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) made a renewed appeal to African financial institutions to enhance their trade-finance structures, deepen risk-management practices, and collaborate more effectively to accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth across the continent.
Speaking to attendees, Ms Gwen Mwaba, Managing Director for Trade Finance & Correspondent Banking at Afreximbank, said Africa remains richly endowed with natural resources and value-add opportunities but translating that potential into real economic outcomes demands banks that are “not only risk-aware but structurally proficient.”
“Trade finance built on trust, risk assessment, and liquidity remains the lifeblood of commerce, investment and job creation. Our collective task is to ensure that this lifeblood flows reliably to the firms that need it and that its benefits are broadly shared,” Ms Mwaba told the assembled delegates.
DPH in Attendance
The seminar was attended by senior executives from across Africa’s finance and banking sector. Among the distinguished guests was the Managing Partner of Deutsche Partners Holding (DPH), who used the opportunity to highlight the link between trade-finance capacity and infrastructure development.
The managing partner emphasised that stronger financial intermediation is critical if Africa is to close its infrastructure and value-chain gaps.
Key Themes & Stakes
The event, themed “Strengthening Trade Finance Capabilities for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Africa”, covered critical issues such as digitalisation of trade-finance flows, interoperable payment systems, risk-sharing mechanisms, and financing for regional value‐chains.
Afreximbank underlined several priorities:
- Training and capacity-building of African banks and financiers to better structure trade-finance facilities.
- Mobilising private capital through innovative instruments and enhanced risk-mitigation frameworks.
- Promoting trade-finance solutions that align with value-addition, intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and resilient export industries.
Why It Matters
Africa continues to face a substantial trade-finance gap estimated at around US$100 billion annually which limits the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises to engage in regional and global value chains.
By building stronger trade-finance ecosystems, Afreximbank and partners aim to unlock more widespread growth, create jobs, and support industrialisation across the continent.
