Afreximbank to Host 25th Trade Finance Seminar in Abidjan, Focus on Closing Africa’s $100bn Financing Gap

With Africa’s trade finance gap estimated at up to $100 billion annually, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced plans to host its 25th Trade Finance Seminar (ATFS2025) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from November 4–6, 2025, followed by a one-day Factoring Workshop on November 7.

The seminar, a flagship capacity-building initiative of the Bank, will bring together African and international trade finance experts, banking professionals, corporates, and regulators to explore innovative financing structures that can unlock business opportunities across the continent. Special emphasis will be placed on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for over 90 percent of businesses in Africa but remain underserved by traditional banks.

Ms. Gwen Mwaba, Afreximbank’s Managing Director of Trade Finance & Correspondent Banking, said structured trade finance holds the key to unlocking the continent’s growth.

“Structured trade finance is Africa’s ticket to turning unbankable deals into viable trade,” she said. “This seminar equips financial leaders with the tools to unlock growth at scale, especially in challenging conditions.”

She noted that as global lenders retreat and regulations tighten, African financial institutions must build stronger capacity to provide structured finance solutions locally. “Hosting this training in Africa allows hundreds of African professionals to build critical expertise at a fraction of the cost of similar programmes in London, Singapore, or New York,” Mwaba added.

The three-day programme will feature keynote addresses, workshops, and panel discussions led by leading global experts. Highlights include:

Unlocking Africa’s Trade Finance Potential: Expanding Supply While Reducing Costs by Marc Auboin of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Africa’s Emerging Role in Global Energy Finance by Sylvia Macri, S&P Global Commodity Insights.

A workshop on Reserve-Based Lending led by Dr. Lekan Aluko of Petrovision Energy Services and Peter Olowononi of Afreximbank.

Sessions on syndications and agency, Africa’s lending landscape, and the role of development banks in eliminating the continent’s trade finance gap.

The Factoring Workshop on November 7 will focus on expanding factoring as an alternative financing tool to improve access to credit for SMEs.

Now in its 25th year, Afreximbank’s Trade Finance Seminar is widely regarded as Africa’s premier platform for knowledge-sharing on structured trade finance and has trained thousands of professionals across the continent.