CAIRO, Egypt: The African Export Import Bank, Afreximbank, and the Africa Trading and Distribution Company, ATDC, have signed a US$500 million global credit facility aimed at expanding the movement and distribution of African goods across the continent and international markets.
The agreement was signed in Cairo on September 21, 2026, with the financing expected to strengthen trade, logistics and distribution activities while supporting the growth of African value chains.
ATDC is a pan African trading platform established to expand Africa’s trade, support industrialisation through greater local value addition and contribute to deeper economic integration.
The company currently has local operations in Egypt, Nigeria, Malawi and Zimbabwe, where it is working to address gaps in trade and market intelligence, improve access to markets and support implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
Under the new facility, Afreximbank will provide ATDC with trade finance capacity to undertake and expand eligible trading and distribution transactions across African markets.
The financing will cover the purchase and aggregation of African goods as well as related logistics, transportation, warehousing and distribution expenses.
This will give ATDC access to funding throughout different stages of the trade and distribution cycle.
ATDC will use the facility for qualifying trade, logistics and distribution transactions, with repayments linked to proceeds generated from the sale of goods financed through the arrangement.
Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, said the agreement would contribute to the infrastructure required to increase trade under AfCFTA.
“The US$500 million Global Credit Facility extended to ATDC underscores Afreximbank’s commitment to strengthening the trade, logistics and distribution architecture required to realise the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By facilitating the efficient distribution of ‘Made-in-Africa’ goods across the continent, the facility will deepen regional value chains, expand market access for African producers, and boost manufactured exports, advancing the AfCFTA’s vision of a more integrated and industrialised African economy. It will also enhance the global competitiveness of African products, positioning the continent as a significant exporter of value-added and manufactured goods. These are critical building blocks for expanding Africa’s export footprint and driving the continent’s economic transformation”.
Stewart Makura, Chief Executive Officer of ATDC, said reliable connections between producers, processors, manufacturers and markets were essential to unlocking Africa’s trading potential.
“Realising Africa’s full trade potential requires reliable systems that connect producers, processors, manufacturers and markets. This facility strengthens ATDC’s ability to aggregate supply, mobilise working capital and move goods efficiently across value chains. Together with Afreximbank, we will support stronger supply chains, value addition, import substitution and intra-African trade.”
The facility is also expected to support the development of repeatable trade corridors rather than only financing individual transactions.
ATDC plans to use the financing to expand access to reliable sourcing and distribution networks across African markets, creating commercially sustainable trade flows and improving the regional movement of goods.
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