Banking & Finance
Afreximbank Q1 Assets Hit $42.7B on Cash Surge
Africa’s leading trade finance institution is ramping up its support for cross-border commerce. Afreximbank’s asset growth signals increasing confidence in intra-African trade. Its expanding capital base is vital for financing regional infrastructure and industrialization. The bank plays a pivotal role in transforming Africa’s trade narrative.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
