Ecobank Group has pledged three billion US dollars in trade finance over three years to accelerate intra-African commerce, announced at the Africa-Forward Summit in Nairobi on the sidelines of the Africa-France Impact Coalition (AFIC).
The AFIC operates under the patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, and focuses on building integrated African value chains through collaboration between governments, development institutions and private sector actors.
Ecobank stated it will deploy the commitment in partnership with Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), including French development financier Proparco, directing capital toward agribusiness, manufacturing and general commerce across its 34 African markets. The bank said the funds will help businesses secure inputs, access new markets and build resilience within complex global supply chains.
The commitment also draws on Ecobank’s Paris banking hub as a conduit linking African trade opportunities to global capital, a structure the bank described as central to its strategy of connecting the continent with international financial flows.
Group Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Awori captured the bank’s position plainly: “Africa is rising and trading.”
Awori added that the initiative goes beyond a financial transaction, describing it as a catalyst for trade, investment and talent development across the continent over the coming decade.
Ecobank framed the announcement as reinforcing its role as a primary financial gateway between Africa and the world, with the three-year timeline designed to produce structural economic transformation rather than short-term liquidity support.
