From 1,600 Applications to 8 Finalists: Afreximbank Launches First-Ever Accelerator Cohort to Empower African Startups

• Eight visionary startups selected to advance Africa’s intra-continental trade and industrialisation goals
• Finalists are eligible subject to selection criteria to receive up to US$250,000 in equity investment, expert mentorship, and exclusive market access. 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) is excited to announce the selection of the top 8 finalists of the first cohort for its pioneering Afreximbank Accelerator Program. This dynamic three-month initiative, that kicks off in March 2026 is designed to empower Africa’s most promising startups that are driving innovation in intra-African trade.

The finalists were carefully selected from a highly competitive pool of over 1,600 applications, showcasing the continent’s most promising entrepreneurial talent. The rigorous process included detailed business assessments, interviews, and pitch sessions, overseen by a panel of Afreximbank trade specialists alongside leading external experts from the venture capital and innovation ecosystem.

The selected finalists embody Afreximbank’s mission to drive measurable progress in intra-African and global African trade. Representing innovations in sectors such as agriculture, e-commerce, market access, financial technology solutions, supply chain enhancement and manufacturing, these startups are poised to address critical trade challenges affecting both continental and diaspora markets, while also advancing intra-African trade and industrialisation.

The geographic diversity of applications, from across Africa, the diaspora, and CARICOM demonstrates the programme’s broad reach and stands as a testament to Afreximbank’s commitment to integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By prioritising solutions from Seed to Series A - maturity and applying a robust three-stage evaluation that combines expert insight, practical business assessment, and strategic innovation criteria, the programme aims not only to accelerate start-ups growth but also to foster a sustainable ecosystem for trade-led development across Africa.

Afreximbank Accelerator Program will provide finalists with a comprehensive package of support including:

• Equity Investment: Equity financing- subject to selection criteria-of up to $250,000 through Afreximbank’s impact equity investment arm, Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), enabling rapid scale-up and operational growth.
• Mentorship: Access to seasoned experts, as well as industry leaders to refine business strategies and accelerate market entry. These include leading investors, trade specialists, and industry thought leaders committed to fostering Africa’s economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
• Market Access: Connection to Afreximbank’s pan-African trade ecosystem, including trade facilitation programmes, regulatory pathways as well as exclusive opportunities to leverage Afreximbank’s extensive network of government stakeholders, private sector players, and multilateral partners to secure partnerships and funding.

Over the course of the program, finalists will engage in virtual learning modules, hands-on workshops, and in-person sessions hosted across regional hubs such as Abuja, Nairobi and Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo. This immersive experience will culminate in a high-profile ‘Demo Day’, where startups will showcase their innovative solutions to an influential audience of global investors, policymakers, and industry champions.

Mr. Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank at Afreximbank commented:

The Afreximbank Accelerator Programme reflects our belief in the power of innovation to transform intra-African trade and also underscores the important role that Global Africa’s innovation plays in realising the promise of the AfCFTA. This inaugural cohort represents the future of African enterprise, and we are proud to invest in them from vision to scale to nurture solutions needed to unlock trade across Africa, the diaspora, and the Caribbean.

The Afreximbank Accelerator Program exemplifies the Bank’s commitment to fostering homegrown solutions that address critical trade challenges and unlock Africa’s economic potential under the AfCFTA framework.

To view the full list of the top 8 finalists and program details, please visit: https://apo-opa.co/3ZPTXSQ

About Afreximbank:

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa's trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank's total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody's (Baa2), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), and Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, "the Group"). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

SOURCE
Afreximbank