By Udeme Akpan
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Africa Trading and Distribution Company (ATDC) have signed a $500 million Global Credit Facility to strengthen the movement of goods, supply chains and intra-African trade.
The facility will finance the purchase and aggregation of African goods, logistics, transportation, warehousing and distribution, enabling ATDC to scale trade transactions across African and global markets.
Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, said the agreement would help build the infrastructure required to unlock the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The US$500 million Global Credit Facility extended to ATDC underscores Afreximbank’s commitment to strengthening the trade, logistics and distribution architecture required to realise the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” Awani said.
She said the facility would improve the distribution of African-made products, expand market access and support the growth of manufactured exports.
“By facilitating the efficient distribution of ‘Made-in-Africa’ goods across the continent, the facility will deepen regional value chains, expand market access for African producers, and boost manufactured exports,” she said.
According to Awani, the financing would also improve the competitiveness of African products in international markets and help expand the continent’s export base.
ATDC Chief Executive Officer, Stewart Makura, said the agreement would address a critical requirement for expanding trade across African markets.
“Realising Africa’s full trade potential requires reliable systems that connect producers, processors, manufacturers and markets,” Makura said.
He said the facility would strengthen ATDC’s capacity to aggregate supply, mobilise working capital and move goods efficiently across regional value chains.
“Together with Afreximbank, we will support stronger supply chains, value addition, import substitution and intra-African trade,” he added.
ATDC, a pan-African trading and distribution platform, currently has local operations in Egypt, Nigeria, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The company was established to expand market access, increase local value addition and support economic integration.
The facility will also support the development of trade corridors and sourcing networks, while improving access to raw materials, industrial inputs and value-added products across African markets.
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