By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the eight finalists selected for the first cohort of its landmark Afreximbank Accelerator Programme, a bold initiative designed to fast-track startups advancing intra-African trade and industrialisation.

The three-month programme, set to commence in March 2026, targets high-potential African startups developing innovative solutions that address trade bottlenecks across the continent and the wider Global Africa ecosystem.

The finalists emerged from a highly competitive pool of more than 1,600 applications, following a rigorous multi-stage selection process that included in-depth business evaluations, interviews, and pitch sessions.

The assessment was led by Afreximbank trade specialists in collaboration with external experts from the venture capital and innovation space.

According to the Bank, the selected startups reflect Afreximbank’s strategic mission to deliver measurable impact in intra-African and global African trade. They span critical sectors such as agriculture, e-commerce, financial technology, market access solutions, supply chain optimisation, and manufacturing, positioning them to tackle structural trade challenges while supporting Africa’s industrial growth agenda.

Afreximbank noted that the geographic spread of applications—from across Africa, the diaspora, and CARICOM—underscores the programme’s broad reach and reinforces its commitment to continental integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By focusing on startups from Seed to Series A stages, and applying a robust three-phase evaluation framework, the programme aims to accelerate growth while building a sustainable ecosystem for trade-led development.

Finalists in the Accelerator Programme will benefit from a comprehensive support package that includes potential equity investment of up to $250,000—subject to selection criteria—through Afreximbank’s impact investment subsidiary, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA). They will also receive hands-on mentorship from seasoned investors, trade experts, and industry leaders, as well as direct access to Afreximbank’s pan-African trade ecosystem, regulatory pathways, and strategic partnerships.

The programme will combine virtual learning modules, practical workshops, and in-person sessions hosted across key regional hubs including Abuja, Nairobi, and Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo. It will culminate in a high-profile Demo Day, where startups will pitch their solutions to a global audience of investors, policymakers, and industry leaders.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank at Afreximbank, said the Accelerator Programme reflects the institution’s confidence in innovation as a catalyst for economic transformation.

“The Afreximbank Accelerator Programme reflects our belief in the power of innovation to transform intra-African trade and underscores the critical role Global Africa’s innovators play in realising the promise of the AfCFTA,” he said.

“This inaugural cohort represents the future of African enterprise, and we are proud to invest in them from vision to scale to unlock trade across Africa, the diaspora, and the Caribbean.”

Afreximbank said the Accelerator Programme further demonstrates its commitment to homegrown solutions, positioning African innovators at the centre of efforts to unlock the continent’s vast economic potential under the AfCFTA framework.