Africa’s economy will remain resilient despite global economic headwinds.
This is the position of the 2025 Africa Trade Report, launched at the ongoing 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Afreximbank, taking place in Abuja.
The Chief Group Economist of the bank, Dr. Yemi Kale, suggested that intra-African trade, facilitated by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), has been a vehicle for resilience amid global economic pressures.
“By prioritising policy reforms and coordinated investments, African countries can drive sustainable industrialization, diversify their economies, and ultimately increase their competitiveness in an increasingly interconnected global market,” he stated.
He disclosed that Afreximbank disbursed a total of $18.7 billion in 2024 to support businesses across the African region, affirming the bank’s vital role in the development of the continent’s businesses. He noted, “we are helping to shape Africa’s trade architecture by engineering transformation.”
Dr. Kale emphasised that “the continent’s ability to convert the AfCFTA’s promise into jobs and industrial upgrading hinges on three financial pillars:
(i) scaling African-owned development banks and funds,
(ii) completing interoperable, low-cost payment and settlement rails, and
(iii) presenting a single, data-rich African voice in global standard-setting.
Together, these reforms can turn a volatile global landscape into a launchpad for inclusive, resilient growth.”
The report notes that the evolving global and regional financial landscape holds significant potential to reshape African trade.
“Global financial volatility, trade wars, and shifting patterns of foreign direct investment present substantive challenges that could hinder growth and exacerbate vulnerabilities. However, accelerated regional financial integration—coupled with transformative initiatives such as the establishment of the AfCFTA and enhanced infrastructure investments—is opening new avenues for intra-African trade and value chain development.”
The African Trade and Economic Outlook (ATEO) 2025 and the African Trade Report (ATR) 2025 highlight Africa’s adaptability in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
