…Tinubu calls centre, a ‘beacon of innovation, catalyst for sustainable dept’
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has unveiled a $120 million trade centre in Abuja on Thursday in a bold push to boost intra-African commerce and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional economic powerhouse.
The state-of-the-art facility, spanning 31,352 square meters, is strategically located in the heart of Nigeria’s capital.
The trade centre aims to serve as a one-stop shop for trade facilitation, offering services ranging from trade finance and advisory to market intelligence and networking opportunities for businesses across the continent.
President Tinubu lauded the Centre as a symbol of Africa’s economic aspirations and a concrete step towards realising the continent’s potential for trade-led growth, regional integration, and sustainable development.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the twin-tower complex, President Tinubu described the Africa Trade Centre (AATC) as “more than a physical structure.” It is a beacon of innovation, a hub for entrepreneurship, and a catalyst for sustainable development.”
“This centre will serve as a critical platform for trade facilitation, capacity building, and investment in Africa’s economic transformation,” Tinubu said, positioning the project as a flagship of both Afreximbank’s ambition and Nigeria’s national development agenda.
The AATC will serve as a regional headquarters for Afreximbank’s Anglophone West Africa operations, and includes a trade exhibition centre, office spaces, and a 148-room hotel.
The complex will host business delegations, policy forums, and trade finance operations, all with the aim of accelerating intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
President Tinubu praised Afreximbank’s role in reshaping Africa’s trade landscape, citing the institution’s leadership in developing financial mechanisms that have helped businesses transcend borders and gain global competitiveness.
He specifically highlighted Afreximbank’s administration of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund through its investment arm, FEDA; the launch of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS); and its flagship trade finance programmes.
“Afreximbank has consistently demonstrated its commitment to breaking down barriers, bridging financing gaps, and empowering African businesses,” Tinubu said, crediting the bank with disbursing over $20 billion in trade finance across the continent—with plans to double that figure by 2026.
He also underscored the bank’s support for industrial parks and special economic zones, which are critical to boosting manufacturing capacity and exports—two pillars of Nigeria’s 8-Point Agenda for economic growth and job creation.
Positioning the AATC as a vital part of that vision, Tinubu said the Abuja hub aligns with Nigeria’s strategic goals around economic diversification and regional integration. “This represents another milestone in our journey toward building a stronger, more interconnected Africa,” he said.
The launch comes at a pivotal time for African commerce, with the AfCFTA agreement now in its fourth year of implementation. The trade pact, which aims to create a single market for goods and services across 54 countries, has faced challenges in realizing its full potential due to infrastructure gaps and regulatory hurdles.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, has been viewed as a linchpin for the success of the AfCFTA. The new Afreximbank centre is expected to play a crucial role in addressing some of the obstacles to seamless trade within the region.
To unlock the continent’s potential, President Tinubu said Africa must reduce import dependency, open up new trade corridors, and ensure access to finance for SMEs and women-led enterprises.
The president also made a broader call to action for African Governments and Institutions.
He also emphasised the transformative role of digital technology in reducing cross-border trade inefficiencies, assurance of Nigeria’s commitment to support the bank’ initiatives that drive inclusive growth, digital transformation, and sustainable industrialization.
Benedict Oramah, Afreximbank President described the Abuja AATC as a transformative platform designed to supercharge Nigeria’s integration into the AfCFTA and link African businesses digitally across the globe.
He called it a long-awaited milestone—housing the Bank’s Anglophone West Africa regional office and serving multiple strategic purposes including a tech and SME incubation hub, a Digital Africa Trade Gateway, and a fully integrated business hotel and conference centre.
“This AATC is more than bricks and mortar,” Oramah said. “It’s a digital bridge that will connect trade centres across Africa, the Caribbean, and Afreximbank’s Africa Global Gateway in New York.”
Read also: Afreximbank sets up $3bn fund to finance refined oil products in Africa
The Abuja hub joins a growing network of Afreximbank’s trade infrastructure projects aimed at deepening continental integration and facilitating market access under AfCFTA.
According to Oramah, this network will play a central role in transforming Africa’s economic landscape by accelerating intra-African trade, knowledge transfer, and investment flows.
The AATC is just one of several high-impact interventions Afreximbank has underway in Nigeria.
In June, the bank will inaugurate a $750 million African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja in partnership with King’s College Hospital, London. The quaternary-care facility will focus on oncology, cardiology, and hematology and be accompanied by Africa’s first King’s College London medical and nursing school campus.
Other flagship investments include the African Quality Assurance Centre in Ogun State, the soon-to-be-launched Africa Energy Bank headquartered in Nigeria, and the $300 million Special Economic Zone under development in Ogun by Arise IIP, an Afreximbank investee company.
The bank’s support has also significantly boosted Nigeria’s refining and fertiliser output, with urea production rising from under 4 million tonnes in 2019 to a projected 11 million tonnes by 2027.
Over $19 billion has been deployed into Nigeria’s financial services industry over the past decade, according to Oramah, deepening local capital markets and supporting inclusive growth.
Highlighting the creative economy, Oramah noted Afreximbank’s ongoing financing and market development initiatives aimed at empowering Nigeria’s youth and women-led businesses.
He commended Nigerian government for “exceptional support” since taking office last year, saying the bank’s progress in Nigeria is the product of a long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship between the institution and successive Nigerian governments.
Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, praised Afreximbank for its growing role in transforming Africa’s trade and economic development, describing the bank’s expanding suite of financial and advisory services as “limitless” in scope and impact.
Edun underscored the bank’s leadership in sovereign and corporate finance, diversification, and the development of both intra- and extra-African trade.
“Afreximbank is not only a financier—it is a strategic partner in Africa’s economic renaissance,” the minister said.
The minister emphasised the bank’s consistent collaboration with public and private sector players, noting its ability to bridge financing gaps and offer tailored solutions to African trade challenges.
“Few institutions have shown the kind of compassion and agility Afreximbank has in tackling Africa’s most pressing trade issues,” the minister said, adding that the bank has also extended its reach to support Caribbean nations as part of a broader Afro-diasporic integration strategy.
The minister highlighted several signature projects in Nigeria backed by the bank, noting the newly commissioned trade centre as a transformative asset that will help reposition Nigeria’s capital as a key regional service and trade hub.
“These interventions are more than just investments—they are building blocks for Africa’s economic future”, he noted.
He commended Oramah for an “unwavering patriotism and innovative leadership,” which has elevated the bank to one of the most respected financial institutions on the continent.
