Afreximbank Unveils Top Eight Finalists for Flagship Accelerator Programme
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the top eight finalists selected for the first cohort of its Afreximbank Accelerator Programme, a flagship initiative aimed at boosting innovation in intra-African and global African trade.
The three-month programme, which begins in March 2026, attracted more than 1,600 applications from across Africa, the African diaspora and the Caribbean. The finalists were selected following a rigorous evaluation process that included business assessments, interviews and pitch sessions conducted by Afreximbank trade specialists and external experts from the venture capital and innovation ecosystem.
The selected startups operate across key sectors including agriculture, e-commerce, financial technology, market access, supply chain solutions and manufacturing. Afreximbank said the finalists reflect its mission to drive measurable progress in intra-African trade and industrialisation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Successful participants will be eligible, subject to selection criteria, to receive up to US$250,000 in equity investment through Afreximbank’s impact investment arm, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA). They will also benefit from expert mentorship and access to Afreximbank’s pan-African trade ecosystem, including government, private sector and multilateral partners.
The programme will feature virtual learning modules, practical workshops and in-person sessions hosted in regional hubs such as Abuja and Nairobi, as well as at Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo. It will culminate in a Demo Day, where finalists will present their solutions to global investors, policymakers and industry leaders.
Commenting on the initiative, Afreximbank Executive Vice President for Global Trade Banking, Mr Haytham Elmaayergi, said the programme demonstrates the Bank’s belief in innovation as a driver of intra-African trade and economic integration.
He noted that the inaugural cohort represents the future of African enterprise and a key step towards unlocking the full potential of the AfCFTA.
Afreximbank said the Accelerator Programme underscores its commitment to supporting homegrown solutions that strengthen trade-led development across Africa and Global Africa.
