Afreximbank pushes new financing models to unlock Africa’s digital trade

Afreximbank is calling for new financing models to support Africa’s digital transformation, as policymakers and financial institutions step up efforts to fund the next phase of trade infrastructure.

At a high-level session in Tangier, African multilateral lenders, policymakers and private-sector leaders said the continent needs “more coordinated, innovative, and better-structured financing approaches” to support digital and technological growth.

The intervention reflects growing recognition that traditional funding structures are not always suited to digital trade ecosystems, particularly where transactions are faster, more data-led and less dependent on paper processes.

For trade finance providers, the message is clear: digital trade will need dedicated capital, not just policy support. As institutions look to modernise African trade infrastructure, financing models are now moving much closer to the centre of the conversation.