By Ayomide Otitoju
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has unveiled the top eight finalists for the first cohort of its Afreximbank Accelerator Program, a three-month initiative launching in March 2026 to support Africa’s most promising startups driving innovation in intra-African trade.
The finalists were selected from over 1,600 applicants through a rigorous process involving business assessments, interviews, and pitch sessions, evaluated by Afreximbank trade specialists and external experts from the venture capital and innovation ecosystem.
The selected startups represent sectors such as agriculture, e-commerce, fintech, supply chain solutions, market access, and manufacturing. They are poised to tackle trade challenges across Africa, diaspora markets, and CARICOM, while advancing intra-African trade and industrialisation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Accelerator Program will provide finalists with equity financing of up to $250,000 through Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), mentorship from industry leaders and trade experts, and access to Afreximbank’s pan-African trade ecosystem, including regulatory pathways, partnerships, and funding opportunities.
Participants will engage in virtual learning modules, hands-on workshops, and in-person sessions at regional hubs including Abuja, Nairobi, and Afreximbank’s Cairo headquarters. The program will culminate in a high-profile “Demo Day,” where startups will pitch to global investors, policymakers, and industry stakeholders.
Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank at Afreximbank, Haytham Elmaayergi, said: “The Afreximbank Accelerator Programme reflects our belief in the power of innovation to transform intra-African trade. This inaugural cohort represents the future of African enterprise, and we are proud to support them from vision to scale to unlock trade across Africa, the diaspora, and the Caribbean.”
The program underscores Afreximbank’s commitment to nurturing homegrown solutions that address trade challenges and drive Africa’s economic growth under the AfCFTA framework.
