Afreximbank, ATDC sign $500 million Global Credit Facility to expand African trade

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Africa Trading and Distribution Company (ATDC) have forged a strategic partnership with a $500 million Global Credit Facility. This financing initiative aims to bolster trade, movement, and distribution of commodities across Africa and international markets. The agreement, disclosed by Afreximbank's Communications and Events Manager Vincent Musumba, will bolster ATDC's trade-finance capacity, enabling the company to execute and scale trading and distribution transactions across the continent.

The credit facility will cover the purchase and aggregation of African commodities, as well as associated logistics, transportation, warehousing, and distribution costs. By facilitating efficient trade systems, the agreement will strengthen ATDC's position as a pan-African trading platform, enhancing market access, addressing trade intelligence gaps, and promoting local value addition.

Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, emphasized the bank's commitment to building the necessary infrastructure to unlock Africa's full potential under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Meanwhile, ATDC's CEO Stewart Makura highlighted the importance of efficient trade systems in linking producers, manufacturers, processors, and consumers, ultimately boosting manufactured exports and improving the competitiveness of African products in global markets.

The partnership comes amid a surge in intra-African trade, with Afreximbank reporting a 5.47% increase in cross-border trade to $213.8 billion in 2025, driven by robust economic activity in countries like Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia.