The Federal Government of Nigeria and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have signed an agreement for Nigeria to host the 32nd Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM) in 2025.
At the signing ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved the event. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to supporting Afreximbank and highlighted the bank’s significant contributions to Africa’s economic growth, particularly in Nigeria’s healthcare and financial sectors.
Edun commended Afreximbank’s innovative financial solutions, calling it a “factory of financial imagination and creativity.” He also praised its support for critical Nigerian projects, such as the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja, which aims to reduce medical tourism by providing world-class healthcare services.
Afreximbank President Benedict Oramah described the upcoming meeting—scheduled for June 2025 in Abuja—as a milestone event that will reflect on Africa’s economic progress and discuss strategies for navigating global challenges. He noted that the event would also mark his leadership transition after 31 years at the bank.
Oramah highlighted Nigeria’s role as the largest recipient of Afreximbank’s trade and development financing, receiving approximately $52 billion in cumulative disbursements. He also recalled Nigeria’s successful hosting of Afreximbank’s 25th-anniversary celebrations in 2018, which attracted over 3,000 participants, and projected that the 2025 meetings would draw between 5,000 and 6,000 delegates from across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Over the past decade, Afreximbank has disbursed $140 billion across Africa, bridging financing gaps left by the retreat of international banks. The bank has played a pivotal role in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and supporting industrialisation efforts.
Oramah also announced the upcoming inauguration of the Africa Trade Centre in Abuja on April 10 and the opening of the African Medical Centre of Excellence on June 5. He highlighted Afreximbank’s key investments in Nigeria’s energy sector, including funding for Dangote Refinery and Port Harcourt Refinery, and the establishment of an Africa Energy Bank in Abuja to strengthen the continent’s energy security.
Additionally, the bank has supported Nigeria’s fertiliser production, creative industries, and manufacturing sector, positioning the country as a major economic force in Africa.
Oramah commended the Nigerian government for its continued support, particularly in facilitating capital contributions and removing regulatory hurdles that could impact Afreximbank’s operations in the country.
Credit: NAN (Text Excluding Headline)
