African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) today launched its flagship African Trade Report 2025, themed “African Trade in a Changing Global Financial Architecture”, during the Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM2025) in Abuja.
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The report looks at the performance of Africa’s trade in a challenging global environment charaterised by rising geopolitical tensions, new trade barriers, and financial uncertainty—and analyses how the continent could leverage these challenges into opportunities to enhance its resilience and navigate the evolving landscape.
Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, said: “This year’s report provides a compelling roadmap for Africa to reposition itself in a volatile global economy. From strengthening trade finance systems to accelerating the AfCFTA, the message is clear: Africa must turn global fragmentation into an opportunity for industrialisation, digital progress, and greater control over its financial systems.”
Dr. Yemi Kale, Afreximbank’s Group Chief Economist and Managing Director of Research, added: “Despite global headwinds, Africa’s trade rebounded strongly in 2024, with trade between African countries growing by 12.4% to reach US$220.3 billion, from a contraction of 5.9% in 2023. This shows the tangible benefits of AfCFTA implementation, even as the continent contends with rising inflation, sovereign debt risks, and a persistent trade finance gap.”
The report shows that Africa’s total merchandise trade recovered, surging by 13.9% in 2024, to US$1.5 trillion, following a 5.4% contraction in 2023. However, Africa still makes up only 3.3% of global exports. That’s a clear signal. The continent must do more by moving away from commodity exports and accelerating its industrialisation process if it is to enhance its integration into global value chains and boost intra-African trade. It also needs better access to trade finance to bridge the gap estimated at about US$100 billion.
While the global economy slowed to 3.3% growth in 2024 and is expected to dip further in 2025, Africa held steady. The continent’s economy grew by 3.2%, helped by strong commodity prices and better public finances. Still, growth remains uneven across the continent.
Afreximbank’s African Trade Report 2025 emphasises the importance of advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is becoming a foundation for trade resilience across the region. It also highlights the expanding use of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which is helping to reduce reliance on foreign currencies and making cross-border trade more efficient.
In addition, the report offers practical guidance on making trade rules and regulations more consistent across countries, unlocking investment from African institutions like pension funds and sovereign funds, and using Africa’s new seat in the G20 to push for overdue global reforms. This includes ensuring a fairer share of global financial resources, such as Special Drawing Rights, an international reserve currency created by the IMF and increasing access to climate finance. It also calls for changes in credit ratings to better reflect the strength and potential of African economies.
The report highlights the growing significance of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), as it is increasing funding for development and helping to rebuild a financial ecosystem that works better for Africans. In 2024, Afreximbank alone disbursed more than US$17.5 billion in trade finance. It plans to increase that amount to US$40 billion by 2026.
As Africa faces a rapidly changing global environment, the report offers more than just analysis. It provides a clear and practical plan for building a stronger, fairer, and more resilient African economy, driven from within the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
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About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB-). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com