The African Export-Import Bank has inaugurated a $120 million Africa Trade Centre in Abuja as part of a major drive to strengthen intra-African trade and solidify Nigeria’s position as a regional economic leader. The new facility, strategically located in the nation’s capital, was launched on Thursday and spans 31,352 square meters.
Described by President Tinubu as more than a structure, the twin-tower complex is expected to become a key engine of trade facilitation, regional integration, and sustainable development under the African Continental Free Trade Area. According to the President, the centre is a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and capacity building that aligns with Nigeria’s agenda for economic diversification and job creation.
Functioning as the regional headquarters for Afreximbank’s Anglophone West Africa operations, the centre comprises office spaces, a trade exhibition hub, a 148-room hotel, and areas for hosting business delegations, policy forums, and trade finance operations. It is intended to serve as a central platform for connecting African businesses through services including trade finance, advisory, networking, and market intelligence.
The Afreximbank President described the centre as a “digital bridge” linking trade networks across Africa, the Caribbean, and Afreximbank’s global gateway in New York. He noted that the Abuja centre is a milestone for Nigeria’s integration into AfCFTA, and will host a Digital Africa Trade Gateway, a tech and SME incubation hub, and a fully integrated business hotel and conference facility.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the project, President Tinubu commended Afreximbank for its leadership in dismantling trade barriers and closing financing gaps. He cited the institution’s management of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund through its investment arm, FEDA, and the establishment of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System as critical steps toward making African businesses globally competitive.
Tinubu said that over $20 billion in trade finance has already been disbursed by the bank across the continent, with a target to double that figure by 2026. The bank has also played a vital role in industrialisation through support for special economic zones, increased refining capacity, and growth in Nigeria’s fertiliser sector—from under four million tonnes in 2019 to a projected 11 million tonnes by 2027.
The trade centre’s launch comes at a critical moment for African commerce. Now in its fourth year, the AfCFTA aims to create a single market for goods and services across 54 countries but continues to face infrastructure and regulatory challenges. Nigeria’s role in advancing the agreement has been widely acknowledged as crucial to its success.
President Tinubu called on African governments and institutions to cut import dependency, create new trade corridors, and prioritise finance for women-led enterprises and small businesses. He also emphasised the power of digital technology in breaking down cross-border trade inefficiencies and reiterated Nigeria’s support for inclusive growth and digital transformation initiatives.
Afreximbank’s presence in Nigeria extends beyond the trade centre. In June, it will open a $750 million African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja, in partnership with King’s College Hospital, London. The bank is also backing the African Quality Assurance Centre in Ogun State, the Africa Energy Bank, and a $300 million special economic zone being developed by Arise IIP.
Over the past decade, more than $19 billion has been deployed into Nigeria’s financial services sector, supporting local capital markets and inclusive economic growth. The bank has also invested in Nigeria’s creative economy, focusing on youth empowerment and women entrepreneurs.
The Minister of Finance described Afreximbank as a strategic partner in Africa’s economic renaissance. He praised the institution’s broad financial and advisory reach across sovereign, corporate, and trade development sectors, highlighting its ability to craft agile solutions to the continent’s evolving trade landscape.
The Abuja centre now stands as a transformative asset for Nigeria and the continent—both in physical and strategic terms. Its launch marks another step toward repositioning Nigeria as a regional service and trade hub while pushing the continent closer to its goal of deeper integration, economic self-reliance, and global competitiveness.
