Ghana International Bank Plc (GHIB) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group have signed a Trade Finance Transaction Guarantee Confirming Bank Agreement aimed at expanding access to trade finance and supporting cross-border commerce across Africa.
The agreement, signed under AfDB’s Transaction Guarantee Instrument, is expected to strengthen GHIB’s capacity to provide trade finance solutions to importers, exporters and financial institutions engaged in regional and international trade.
Under the arrangement, GHIB joins a select group of financial institutions approved under the African Development Bank’s eligibility criteria, further positioning the bank as a key partner in facilitating trade and investment across the continent.
The partnership is designed to promote intra-African trade, support private sector growth and help address the trade finance gap that continues to limit economic expansion in many African countries.
Speaking on the development, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana International Bank, Ian Greenstreet, described the agreement as a significant milestone for the bank and its customers.
According to him, the partnership will enhance GHIB’s ability to support businesses involved in international trade while strengthening its contribution to economic growth and investment across Africa.
Greenstreet noted that as a UK-regulated bank with extensive experience in African markets and strong international connections, GHIB is well positioned to serve as a bridge between African economies and global capital.
He expressed optimism that the collaboration with AfDB would stimulate greater trade, investment and economic opportunities across the continent.
Also commenting, Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation at the African Development Bank Group, Solomon Quaynor, said the partnership would help expand trade activities, particularly in low-income countries and transition states such as Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Guinea and Liberia.
Quaynor noted that GHIB’s experience in providing confirming bank support to local financial institutions aligns with the African Development Bank’s mandate of promoting regional integration and economic development.
He added that the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has increased the need to strengthen trade finance capacity across the continent.
According to him, the AfDB is committed to reducing Africa’s trade finance gap by supporting African financial institutions to play a larger role in facilitating intra-African trade.
The agreement is expected to improve access to trade finance, support a greater volume of cross-border transactions and reinforce GHIB’s role as a trusted banking partner for businesses operating in African and international markets.
GHIB, a UK-regulated bank with Ghanaian ownership, has a long history of supporting trade, investment and financial flows between Africa, the United Kingdom and the global marketplace.
The bank provides a range of services, including trade finance, correspondent banking, corporate banking, treasury services and SME banking, and says it remains focused on expanding its capabilities and strategic partnerships as it seeks to strengthen trade links between Africa and the rest of the world.