Afreximbank’s assets rose to $42.7B in Q1 2025, driven by liquidity gains. The bank commits $3B to Kenya’s industrial growth and East African trade expansion.
📈 Strong Q1 Performance for Afreximbank
In the first quarter of 2025, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) recorded a 6.4% rise in total assets and contingent liabilities, reaching $42.7 billion, up from $40.1 billion in December 2024.
This growth was primarily driven by:
- A 58% surge in cash balances to $7.4 billion
- A 19% rise in off-balance sheet assets, such as letters of credit and guarantees, now totaling $5.7 billion
💡 Related: How Letters of Credit Support African Trade
💰 Profit Surge Despite Higher Expenses
Afreximbank posted a net income of $215 million, a 21% year-on-year increase from $178 million in Q1 2024.
Despite a 23% increase in operating expenses to $75.4 million, the bank maintained a cost-to-income ratio of 16%, well below its strategic ceiling of 30%.
🗣️ “Our financial strength is a direct enabler of our developmental mandate,” said Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of Afreximbank.
🔗 Explore: Afreximbank’s Strategic Plan 2022–2026
🇰🇪 $3B Investment to Accelerate Kenya’s Industrialisation
In February 2025, Afreximbank launched a three-year, $3 billion Kenya Country Programme. The initiative is designed to:
- Finance industrial parks and special economic zones (SEZs)
- Stimulate export-led manufacturing
- Enhance trade-related infrastructure
This commitment aligns with Kenya’s Fourth Medium-Term Plan (MTP IV) and Vision 2030, reinforcing efforts to transform the country into an industrial hub in East Africa.
📌 Related: Kenya’s Export Processing Zones Strategy (1978–Present)
🌍 Enhancing Trade Finance for East Africa
With its growing asset base, Afreximbank aims to:
- Expand trade finance solutions
- Support SMEs engaged in regional and continental trade
- Reduce Africa’s trade finance gap, estimated at $81.8 billion in 2019, according to the AfDB
💬 The bank’s role aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) goals, promoting intra-African trade and regional integration.
🔗 Learn more about AfCFTA’s Impact on East Africa
🔮 Outlook: Accelerating Regional Growth
Afreximbank’s robust Q1 2025 performance positions it as a key financier of East Africa’s transformation. With strategic investments targeting:
- Trade finance expansion
- Export manufacturing
- Cross-border trade integration
…the bank is set to drive both inclusive growth and Africa’s integration into global value chains.
📍 Regional economies—especially Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania—stand to benefit most as industrialisation gains momentum.
