The African Export-Import Bank and the Africa Trading and Distribution Company have signed a $500m Global Credit Facility to strengthen the trade, movement and distribution of commodities across Africa and international markets.

The facility is expected to support the purchase, aggregation and transportation of African goods, while financing logistics, warehousing, distribution and other activities needed to improve trade networks across the continent.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Vincent Musumba, Communications and Events Manager at Afreximbank.

What they are saying
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, while covering logistics, transportation, warehousing and distribution costs at various stages of the trade cycle.

Afreximbank said the facility would go beyond financing individual transactions, enabling ATDC to develop sustainable trade corridors and expand access to reliable sourcing and distribution networks across African markets.

“It will also support commercially sustainable trade flows, greater processing of African commodities and increased regional availability of raw materials, inputs and value-added products.”

Commenting on the agreement, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice-President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Kanayo Awani, said the facility demonstrated the bank’s commitment to developing the infrastructure required to unlock the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

She said the financing would support the efficient distribution of goods produced within Africa, strengthen regional value chains and create greater market opportunities for African manufacturers and producers.

Awani added that the initiative would further support the growth of manufactured exports and enhance the competitiveness of African products in international markets.

Speaking on the partnership, ATDC Chief Executive Officer, Stewart Makura, said efficient trade systems connecting producers, manufacturers, processors and consumers were critical to Africa’s economic transformation.

He said the facility would strengthen ATDC’s capacity to aggregate supply, mobilise working capital and facilitate the more efficient movement of goods across regional value chains.

“Together with Afreximbank, we will support stronger supply chains, value addition, import substitution and intra-African trade,” Makura said.

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, with a focus on improving market access, addressing trade intelligence gaps and supporting the implementation of the AfCFTA.

The agreement comes amid growing intra-African trade. According to Afreximbank’s latest trade report, trade between African countries rose by 5.47 per cent to $213.8bn in 2025, from $202.7bn in 2024.

The bank attributed the increase to stronger economic activity in countries including Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

The report also showed that South Africa remained the largest contributor to intra-African trade, while Côte d’Ivoire continued to play a significant role in facilitating trade within West Africa.

Overall, the value of intra-African trade rose by $11.1bn during the year, reflecting increased commercial activity and ongoing efforts to deepen regional economic integration.