Afreximbank’s Assets Hit $44bn Under My Watch — Oramah
The outgoing President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah, has revealed that the bank’s total assets and guarantees surged from $6 billion in 2015 to nearly $44 billion in 2025, marking one of the most remarkable growth periods in the institution’s history.
Speaking during his farewell conference in Cairo on Friday, Oramah said the bank’s growth over the past decade underscored Afreximbank’s strategic role in financing Africa’s trade and development despite global and regional economic challenges.
“We kept a sharp focus on institutional strength and financial health and grew the balance sheet and guarantees almost eightfold, from $6 billion in September 2015 to almost $44 billion in September 2025,” Oramah stated.
He attributed the success to Afreximbank’s sound governance, prudent risk management, and commitment to supporting African economies through innovative financial products and continental trade initiatives.
The outgoing president also announced that the bank had delivered strong returns to shareholders, disbursing an aggregate of nearly $1.4 billion as dividends between 2015 and 2024.
During his tenure, Afreximbank deepened its support for Africa’s trade integration through initiatives such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), designed to facilitate cross-border payments in local currencies, and the Afreximbank Trade Information Portal, which promotes intra-African commerce.
Oramah, who has led the bank since 2015, said the institution’s achievements reflected its resilience in navigating multiple crises from global economic shocks and commodity downturns to the COVID-19 pandemic and disruptions in global trade.
“Our success story is not just about numbers; it’s about the impact the businesses we have helped to grow, the economies we have supported, and the confidence we have built in Africa’s financial system,” he said.
Founded in 1993, Afreximbank has grown to become one of Africa’s most influential multilateral financial institutions, providing trade financing, guarantees, and advisory services across the continent.
Oramah’s tenure, which officially ends this year, is widely regarded as a transformative period that positioned Afreximbank as a cornerstone of Africa’s trade and investment architecture.
