The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has finalized a $75 million financing facility with the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) aimed at significantly expanding access to credit for Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a dedicated focus on the rapidly expanding creative economy.
The agreement was formally executed in Lagos during the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND 2026), with the ceremonial signing led by Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development, and Dr. Tony Okpanachi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DBN.
Under the arrangement, DBN will disburse the capital through its established network of participating financial institutions (PFIs) to finance working capital, equipment procurement, supply chain logistics, and both pre- and post-export activities.
Target recipients span high-growth creative disciplines, including fashion, film, music, and design, alongside traditional enterprise sectors.
Beyond liquidity provision, the facility is structured under Afreximbank’s Export SME Development framework, incorporating specialized technical assistance, institutional capacity building, and market linkage mechanisms.
The initiative pairs DBN’s wholesale lending reach with Afreximbank’s trade infrastructure, giving beneficiary enterprises access to continental platforms such as MANSA, TRADAR, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), and the Africa Trade Exchange (ATEX), as well as direct market avenues via the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF).
Mrs. Awani noted that the intervention takes an integrated approach to help viable domestic firms scale into competitive, export-ready enterprises while simultaneously equipping local financial intermediaries to better structure SME financing.
Echoing this commitment, Dr. Okpanachi emphasized that the intervention addresses critical wholesale funding constraints, positioning Nigerian MSMEs to deepen productive capacity, build economic resilience, and integrate effectively into regional and global trade value chains.
