The Afreximbank has called for stronger trade finance and deeper collaboration among African financial institutions to accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth across the continent.
“Africa is richly endowed with natural resources such as minerals, hydrocarbons, agricultural commodities, and a growing array of value-added opportunities across energy, metals, and logistics,” managing director of trade finance at the institution, Gwen Mwaba, said at the opening of the 25th Afreximbank Trade Finance seminar in Abidjan yesterday.
“These resources present immense potential for development when they are financed responsibly, efficiently, and with rigorous risk management. To translate this potential into tangible outcomes, we need banks and financial institutions that are not only risk-aware but structurally proficient,” she said.
She emphasised the pivotal role of skilled financial professionals in shaping Africa’s trade future and the importance of capacity building in translating Africa’s abundant natural and human resources into tangible economic development.
“Well-trained bankers with sophisticated deal-structuring capabilities can tailor financing to capital-intensive value chains and align project finance with local development needs and environmental safeguards,” she said.
“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.”
Now in its 25th year, this annual Afreximbank Trade Finance Seminar is Afreximbank’s flagship capacity-building programme, providing training for thousands of African bankers, lenders, financiers and policymakers since its inception. This year’s edition marks a major milestone: a quarter-century of empowering African financial professionals and deepening the continent’s expertise in structuring and delivering trade finance solutions.
The seminar runs from November 4-6 in Abidjan under the theme, “Strengthening Trade Finance Capabilities for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Africa”.
