The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has extended a US$10 million financing facility to Tanzania’s Azania Bank Plc to expand access to finance for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating across the country’s export value chains.
The facility was delivered under Afreximbank’s Export SME Development Programme (ESDP) and will be on-lent by Azania Bank to eligible SMEs involved in export-oriented activities across sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, trade, technology, logistics and value-added exports.
The financing will provide working capital and medium-term funding for business expansion, asset acquisition and pre- and post-export activities. The facility is expected to strengthen the capacity of Tanzanian SMEs to increase production, improve export readiness and participate in regional and international value chains.
Afreximbank said the facility is also intended to help businesses take advantage of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), particularly through increased cross-border trade and integration into regional supply networks.
Beyond the financing, Afreximbank will provide participating SMEs with business development support covering export readiness, financial management, market linkages, digitalisation and access to SME-focused knowledge and networking platforms.
Oluranti Doherty, Managing Director, Export Development at Afreximbank, said the partnership with Azania Bank would provide SMEs with financing alongside capacity building and market access support required to scale and compete in regional and global markets.
Yahaya Mbanka, Director, Business Development at Azania Bank, said the facility would strengthen the bank’s ability to finance businesses seeking to expand operations, invest in productive capacity and pursue export opportunities.
Afreximbank’s 2025 Annual Trade Development Effectiveness Report shows that the Bank extended more than US$960 million to over 58,000 SMEs across Africa during the period covered by the report. The programme prioritised, among others, women and youth led enterprises, providing trade finance to businesses seeking to expand production, enter cross-border markets and scale their operations.
0 Comments