CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has emphasised that institutional resilience, built through strategic foresight, sound governance, crisis preparedness, and stakeholder trust, is vital to Africa’s development.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Afreximbank Annual Meetings in Abuja, he celebrated the Bank’s 32-year journey and lauded its evolution from a trade finance provider into a trusted pan-African partner.
Mr. Cardoso described the gathering as a momentous occasion to celebrate Afreximbank’s 32nd anniversary and reflect on the Bank’s transformative journey over the past three decades. He commended the President of Afreximbank, Prof Benedict Oramah, the Board of Directors, and the entire team for their commitment to reshaping Africa’s economic trajectory, noting that their work continues to inspire hope, confidence, and collective action across the continent.
Cardoso noted Africa’s resilience in the face of global crises, COVID-19, commodity volatility, and geopolitical shifts, while praising Afreximbank’s role in interventions such as the US$10bn COTRALF and the US$2bn COVID-19 vaccine financing.
He highlighted Nigeria’s deep ties to the Bank, having received around US$52bn in trade and project financing. Cardoso also cited CBN’s diaspora-focused reforms, including the Non-Resident Nigerian Ordinary and Investment Accounts.
Urging stronger alignment, he called for accelerated AfCFTA implementation, deeper integration, and enhanced diaspora engagement.
“Afreximbank has helped us dream big. Now, it is time to deliver big,” he declared.
The event also marked the launch of Afreximbank’s flagship 2025 African Trade Report and Economic Outlook Report.
