By Ayomide Otitoju
The Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD) has announced the commencement of registration for its 2026 Certificate of Trade Finance in Africa (COTFIA), a flagship programme aimed at strengthening trade finance capacity across the continent.
According to AFRACAD, registration for the programme—open to banking professionals and other practitioners in trade finance—will close on May 31, 2026.
The programme is delivered in partnership with Factors Chain International, American University in Cairo, and Quarter Bank, and is designed to deepen participants’ understanding of international trade finance. It is regularly updated to align with global best practices and incorporates key elements of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is expected to boost intra-African trade.
The 2026 edition will follow a blended learning format, featuring five instructor-led virtual modules, one in-person session at the American University in Cairo’s campus in New Cairo, Egypt, and a final module delivered asynchronously online.
Commenting on the initiative, Stephen Kauma, Managing Director, Human Resources at African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), highlighted the programme’s role in developing a new generation of skilled trade finance professionals to support Africa’s trade agenda and enhance global competitiveness.
Kauma also disclosed that AFRACAD will offer scholarships covering 50 per cent of tuition fees to the first seven applicants, underscoring the institution’s commitment to expanding access to high-quality capacity-building initiatives.
In 2025, AFRACAD received international recognition for the programme, earning a Silver Award in the Professional Development category at the EFMD Excellence in Practice Awards 2025 held in Stockholm, Sweden.
Originally launched in 2016 as the Certificate of Finance in International Trade (COFIT), the programme was restructured in 2021 in collaboration with the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at the American University in Cairo to enhance its academic depth and regional relevance.
To date, the COTFIA programme has trained more than 150 professionals across Africa, equipping them with the technical and practical expertise required to strengthen the continent’s trade finance ecosystem and unlock opportunities for both intra-African and global trade.
