The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Africa Trading and Distribution Company (ATDC) have signed a $500 million Global Credit Facility aimed at strengthening the trade, movement and distribution of commodities across Africa and international markets.
The agreement is expected to enhance trade and distribution networks across the continent by providing financing for the purchase, aggregation and movement of African goods, while also supporting logistics, transportation, warehousing and distribution activities.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Vincent Musumba, Communications and Events Manager at Afreximbank.
According to the statement, the facility will provide ATDC with additional trade-finance capacity to execute and scale eligible trading and distribution transactions across Africa.
The financing will support the purchase and aggregation of African commodities, as well as cover associated logistics, transportation, warehousing and distribution costs across different stages of the trade cycle.
Afreximbank noted that beyond financing individual transactions, the facility is designed to help ATDC establish sustainable trade corridors and expand access to reliable sourcing and distribution networks across African markets.
Commenting on the agreement, Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, said the facility reflects the bank’s commitment to building the infrastructure needed to unlock the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to her, the financing will facilitate the efficient distribution of goods produced within Africa, deepen regional value chains and expand market opportunities for African manufacturers and producers.
Awani added that the initiative would also help boost manufactured exports and improve the competitiveness of African products in global markets.
Speaking on the partnership, Stewart Makura, Chief Executive Officer of ATDC, said efficient trade systems linking producers, manufacturers, processors and consumers remain critical to Africa’s economic transformation.
He noted that the facility would strengthen ATDC’s ability to aggregate supply, mobilise working capital and move goods more efficiently across regional value chains.
ATDC is a pan-African trading platform established to accelerate industrialisation, promote local value addition and support economic integration across the continent. The company currently operates in Egypt, Nigeria, Malawi and Zimbabwe, where it focuses on improving market access, addressing trade intelligence gaps and supporting AfCFTA implementation.
The agreement comes as intra-African trade continues to gain momentum. According to Afreximbank’s latest trade report, trade among African countries increased by 5.47% to $213.8 billion in 2025, compared with $202.7 billion in 2024.
The bank attributed the growth to stronger economic activity in countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
The report also showed that South Africa remained the continent’s largest contributor to intra-African trade, while Côte d’Ivoire continued to play a major role in facilitating trade within West Africa.
Overall, the value of intra-African trade increased by $11.1 billion during the year, reflecting growing commercial activity and regional integration efforts.
Afreximbank reported a 30% increase in net income to $534.7 million in the first half of 2026, compared with $412.7 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
The bank attributed the performance to higher net interest income and stronger fee and commission earnings driven by expanding lending and trade-finance activities.
During the period, the Group’s total assets and contingencies rose by 7.8% to $52.3 billion, up from $48.5 billion at the end of 2025.
Net loans and advances also increased by 5.7% to $35.4 billion, reflecting continued growth in trade and development financing across Africa.
