Staff Writer
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has signed a facility agreement with NBS Bank Plc Malawi to provide a US$100 million Afreximbank Trade Facilitation Programme (AFTRAF) line of credit.
The facility will support NBS Bank’s growing trade finance portfolio and enable it to continue meeting the needs of its trade clients.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 by Haytham El Maayergi, Afreximbank executive vice president, Global Trade Bank, and Temwani Simwaka, chief executive officer of NBS Bank.
The facility is designed to increase NBS Bank’s trade volumes and support imports of essential commodities such as fertiliser, medicines and fuel into Malawi.
El Maayergi said the facility reflects Afreximbank’s commitment to support African businesses and financial institutions.
“This US$100 million facility is among the largest limits for AFTRAF for a bank in Malawi. It demonstrates Afreximbank’s commitment to supporting Malawi’s trade aspirations as one of its member states. It also demonstrates the good and long-term relationship that exists between Afreximbank and the NBS/NICO group,” he said.
He added that the facility will help NBS Bank support the growing trading needs of its customers, particularly imports of fuel, fertiliser, and pharmaceuticals. It will also provide the bank with a confirmation line from within Africa. “The facility is in line with Afreximbank’s mandate of supporting intra- and extra-African trade,” El Maayergi said.
The AFTRAF programme enhances counterparties’ confidence in settling international trade transactions and strengthens correspondent banking relationships. It supports critical imports, boosts intra-African trade; and facilitates the purchase of equipment for export production. Services include trade confirmations, guarantees, and irrevocable reimbursement undertakings.
IATF2025, held from 4 to 10 September 2025, brought together more than 112,000 visitors from 132 countries. The fair recorded US$48.3 billion in trade and investment deals and featured 2,148 exhibitors.
Organised by Afreximbank, the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the event provided a platform to share trade and investment information in support of the AfCFTA.
Caption
Haytham El Maayergi of Afreximbank and Temwani Simwaka, CEO of NBS Bank, during the signing ceremony of the US$100 million line of credit.
- Photo: Afreximbank.
