By George Ozalla
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the East African Business Council (EABC) have signed an Africa Trade Gateway (ATG) Agency Agreement aimed at expanding digital trade opportunities for businesses across East Africa and connecting them to markets, finance and business partners across Africa.
The agreement was signed during the inaugural East Africa CEO & Investment Forum held in Nairobi, Kenya, on September 17 and 18, 2026, strengthening cooperation between the Pan-African multilateral financial institution and the regional private-sector body.
The partnership is expected to give East African enterprises greater access to the East African Community (EAC) Common Market of more than 300 million people, as well as the wider African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market of about 1.3 billion consumers.
The initiative is being implemented through Afreximbank’s Africa Trade Gateway, a digital platform designed to connect businesses with buyers, suppliers, financial institutions and other services required to complete cross-border transactions.
Under the agreement, EABC will serve as an official onboarding agent for the Africa Trade Gateway, assisting enterprises across the region to join and make use of the digital trade ecosystem. The council has also begun promoting the platform through its extensive network of businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations.
The partnership combines EABC’s regional business network with Afreximbank’s digital trade services to enable companies to identify verified buyers and suppliers, obtain market intelligence, connect with trade finance institutions and utilise cross-border payment solutions.
Speaking at the forum, Afreximbank’s Director of Digital Business and Innovation, Emeka Onyia, said the Africa Trade Gateway was designed to provide a trusted digital ecosystem capable of supporting African businesses in their trading activities.
Onyia said the platform connects businesses with the partners and services required to trade, helping companies identify opportunities and engage with trusted buyers, suppliers and financial institutions before turning those connections into completed transactions.
He said each successful transaction strengthens the network, attracts new participants and creates additional opportunities for African businesses.
The Afreximbank executive further noted that although many businesses are aware of opportunities outside their domestic markets, they often face difficulties identifying reliable trading partners and accessing the services needed to trade successfully.
According to him, the collaboration with EABC would enable more East African businesses to enter new markets with greater confidence by gaining access to the trusted network and digital services provided through the Africa Trade Gateway.
The partnership also has a capacity-building component, with EABC supporting businesses to improve their understanding of the requirements for accessing markets under the AfCFTA.
The council is providing enterprises with information on AfCFTA market opportunities, Rules of Origin, tariff concessions, customs procedures and country-specific export requirements, alongside advisory support designed to improve market-entry strategies and export readiness.
As an onboarding partner for the Africa Trade Gateway, EABC will assist enterprises to join the platform and access services including business-to-business matchmaking, digital identity verification and trade finance solutions.
The digital services are intended to help reduce payment and credit risks while making it easier for businesses to establish relationships with potential trading partners.
The collaboration comes at a time when African businesses are increasingly seeking to use the AfCFTA to expand beyond their domestic markets. By combining EABC’s regional network with the digital services available through the Africa Trade Gateway, the two institutions are seeking to tackle some of the barriers that have limited the expansion of cross-border trade within Africa.
These challenges include difficulties obtaining reliable market information, identifying credible business partners, accessing finance, managing payments and building trust between businesses operating in different markets.
The Africa Trade Gateway is expected to provide businesses with access to verified buyers and suppliers across Africa and beyond, while also providing information on potential trading partners and links to finance and payment services.
The initiative is also expected to support shorter export lead times and stronger regional supply chains as more businesses are brought onto the digital platform.
The partnership forms part of broader efforts to accelerate digital transformation, deepen regional economic integration and increase intra-African trade by making it easier for businesses to take advantage of opportunities created by the EAC Common Market and the AfCFTA.
Afreximbank is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For more than 30 years, the Bank has developed financing structures and other interventions aimed at transforming the structure of African trade, accelerating industrialisation and promoting intra-regional trade.
The Bank has also been a major supporter of the AfCFTA and launched the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which was adopted by the African Union as a payment and settlement platform to support implementation of the continental free trade agreement.
Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the African Union, Afreximbank has also established a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries participating in the AfCFTA.
As of the end of December 2025, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at more than US$48.5 billion, while its shareholder funds stood at US$8.4 billion.
The bank, headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, has investment-grade ratings from China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd. (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (A-), Moody’s (Baa2) and S&P Global Ratings (BBB+).
Afreximbank has evolved into a group comprising the Bank, the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), its equity impact fund subsidiary, and AfrexInsure, its insurance management subsidiary.
The EABC-Afreximbank partnership therefore places East African enterprises within a wider digital trade framework intended to make regional and continental markets more accessible while providing businesses with practical tools for finding partners, obtaining market information, accessing finance and completing cross-border transactions.
