AFDB and EXIM Bank partnership strengthens support for businesses to trade and grow beyond borders

DAR ES SALAAM: THE African Development Bank (AfDB) and Exim Bank have signed a US$10 million Trade Finance Transaction Guarantee Facility, strengthening Exim Bank Tanzania’s capacity to facilitate eligible trade finance transactions and support Tanzanian businesses engaged in cross-border trade.

Under the facility, AfDB will provide guarantees of up to 100% to confirming banks against eligible non-payment risks arising from Letters of Credit and similar trade finance instruments issued by Exim Bank . This additional risk protection will enable confirming banks to support more trade transactions originated by Exim Bank, while strengthening the bank’s ability to facilitate access to trade finance for SMEs and local corporates engaged in import activities. The facility will also help Exim Bank access a broader network of confirming banks, supporting greater trade across the region and globally.

By strengthening access to trade finance, the arrangement supports efforts to promote intra-African trade and contributes to the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

For Exim Bank, the facility strengthens its trade finance capacity by providing additional risk support when working with confirming banks. This can help the Bank facilitate more eligible trade transactions, strengthen relationships with international and regional financial institutions and reduce some of the constraints associated with confirming trade finance instruments.

On the other hand, Chief Financial Officer at Exim Bank Shani Kinswaga, said the partnership strengthens the Bank’s ability to support businesses pursuing opportunities across regional and international markets.

“This partnership represents more than a financing arrangement; it strengthens the financial infrastructure required to support Tanzania’s growing trade ambitions. For Exim Bank, it provides an important opportunity to deepen our trade finance business while supporting Tanzanian businesses to participate more confidently in regional and international markets,” said Kinswaga.

“The value for this partnership is in the additional capacity and risk support it provides. It enables us to pursue viable trade opportunities with greater support behind eligible transactions, while continuing to apply disciplined risk management and sound credit standards,” he added.

For Exim Bank customers, the partnership is ultimately about strengthening access to trade finance for businesses involved in imports, exports and cross-border value chains.

SMEs, Commercial and local Corporates can require trade finance to import raw materials, machinery, equipment and other finished goods, while exporters need financial instruments that allow them to fulfil contracts and transact with buyers in regional and international markets.

By strengthening Exim Bank’s ability to facilitate eligible trade transactions, the facility can help businesses pursue these opportunities with greater confidence.

“Ultimately, the value of this partnership will be measured by the opportunities it creates for our customers,” said Kinswaga. “Our focus is on translating this enhanced capacity into tangible opportunities for SMEs, Commercial and Corporates with genuine productive and trade-related financing needs.”

For the African Development Bank, the facility provides a mechanism to use its risk-bearing capacity to help unlock trade finance through local financial institutions.

Country Manager at the African Development Bank Mary Monyau, said the partnership demonstrates the role of development-finance institutions in helping address trade-finance constraints.

“Trade finance is an important enabler of economic activity because it gives businesses the financial support and confidence required to transact across markets. Through this facility, the African Development Bank is providing additional risk support that can help Exim Bank Tanzania facilitate eligible trade transactions and support businesses seeking to participate in regional and international markets.”

For AfDB, the facility also advances its broader mandate of supporting private-sector development, increasing intra-African trade and strengthening economic integration. By working through Exim Bank, the Bank can extend its trade-finance support to businesses through an established local financial institution and its customer network.

Ms. Monyau added that strengthening trade finance capacity can have wider implications for productive sectors of the economy.

“When financial institutions have greater capacity to facilitate trade, businesses can access the inputs, equipment and markets they need to grow. This is particularly important for sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, energy and commerce, and contributes to the wider objective of strengthening intra-African trade.”

The partnership therefore brings together AfDB’s risk-sharing capacity and development mandate with Exim Bank ’s local market knowledge, customer relationships and trade-finance capabilities.

The facility reinforces Exim Bank commitment to strengthening its trade finance capabilities and supporting businesses as they access regional and international markets. It also complements the Bank’s broader focus on providing financial solutions that enable customers to grow, expand their operations and participate more effectively in cross-border trade.

For Exim Bank, the focus now shifts from signing to execution, ensuring that the enhanced capacity translates into quality trade finance opportunities for businesses.

“As a bank, we measure the value of partnerships not only by the facilities we secure, but by the opportunities they create for our customers,” said Mr. Kinswaga. “This partnership gives us an additional platform to support Tanzanian businesses to trade, expand and compete across borders” he concluded.