Afreximbank and ITC Expand Partnership to Boost SMEs and Intra-African Trade

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) have renewed and expanded their long-standing memorandum of understanding (MoU) to accelerate the growth of intra-African trade, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and strengthen South-South economic cooperation.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the recently concluded Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) by Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of Afreximbank, and Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of ITC.

Strengthening Africa’s Trade Ecosystem

Under the renewed agreement, Afreximbank and ITC will collaborate on:

• Enhancing SME competitiveness and access to finance.

• Expanding capacity-building programmes linked to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

• Promoting sustainable livelihoods through the creative and cultural industries.

• Advancing South-South cooperation by deepening Africa’s trade ties with the Caribbean and the Arab regions.

• Supporting women- and youth-led businesses to gain visibility and market access.

Prof. Oramah said the MoU reflects Afreximbank’s commitment to unlocking Africa’s economic potential by placing SMEs at the heart of trade-led development.

“The renewed MoU is a strong demonstration of Afreximbank’s leadership in driving intra-African trade and SME empowerment,” he said. “By choosing IATF2025 as the platform for this announcement, we underline the Fair’s role in showcasing Africa’s SMEs as key engines of trade integration and development.”

Empowering Creative Industries and SMEs

The partnership will give special attention to Africa’s creative economy, which has emerged as a fast-growing sector with enormous potential to generate jobs, cultural exports, and youth entrepreneurship.

“Our joint work with ITC is scaling up to ensure SMEs and creative entrepreneurs gain global visibility and access to new markets. Together, we are fostering Africa–Caribbean linkages and accelerating AfCFTA implementation,” Oramah added.

Making Trade Easier and More Inclusive

Ms. Coke-Hamilton of ITC highlighted that the collaboration is about transforming how Africa connects to global value chains.

“Our long-term partnership with Afreximbank is one built on strengthening the way Africa engages with the rest of the world in terms of trade,” she said. “With our expanded partnership, we will continue to make trade easier, more accessible, and less costly for all African businesses—including the smallest enterprises and those led by women and youth.”

IATF2025: A Platform for Growth

The signing took place against the backdrop of IATF2025, which ran from 4 to 10 September 2025 and attracted more than 112,000 visitors from 132 countries. The event showcased 2,148 exhibitors and concluded with trade and investment deals valued at US$48.3 billion.

The fair continues to serve as Africa’s premier marketplace for goods, services, and investments, providing an opportunity for governments, businesses, and financiers to network and build sustainable partnerships.

Looking Ahead

The expanded Afreximbank–ITC partnership signals a renewed focus on intra-African integration, with both institutions pledging to accelerate capacity building, reduce barriers to trade, and create inclusive opportunities for Africa’s SMEs.

By aligning their efforts with the AfCFTA framework, Afreximbank and ITC hope to enable African businesses—especially small and growing enterprises—to participate more competitively in regional and global markets.

As Afreximbank and ITC scale up their collaboration, the renewed MoU is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping Africa’s trade-led growth, creative economy development, and global partnerships in the years ahead.