The African Export-Import Bank has embarked on a US$6.5billion General Capital Increase (GCI) to expand its capacity to deliver on its core mandate and diversify its range of services.

The GCI will enhance the Bank’s capacity to support procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for the continent, bolster post-pandemic recovery efforts for the economies of African nations and drive implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), among other strategic initiatives.

Recognizing Afreximbank’s mandate and pivotal role on the continent, the African Union Ministers of Finance, the AU Executive Council and the 34th ordinary session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State endorsed the additional capitalization of Afreximbank.

African member-states are expected to contribute up to US$1.5billion as paid-in capital (US$3.9billion in callable capital) to meet their total contribution under the GCI. The Bank’s Board of Directors opened the GCI to other shareholders of the Bank to contribute up to US$1.1billion to enable them to participate pro-rata to their shareholding in Afreximbank, bringing the total size of the GCI to US$6.5billion (of which US$2.6billion will be paid-in).

The GCI was approved by Afreximbank Shareholders during their 28th annual meeting in July 2021. Afreximbank expects to double its annual lending capacity and balance sheet size during the next five years, thereby further contributing to reduction of the existing annual trade finance gap in Africa.

Prof. Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank commented: “I would like to thank Afreximbank shareholders for their support toward this important exercise. The General Capital Increase will enable Afreximbank to significantly increase its efforts to promote intra-African trade, drive export development and accelerate the continent’s recovery from economic difficulties caused by COVID-19.

“This is a historic moment for the Bank; it presents a great opportunity to deepen its capacity to deliver transformative growth across this continent.”