Access Holdings, IFC deepen trade financing for African businesses
African businesses are set to gain broader access to trade finance under a new partnership between Access Holdings Plc and the International Finance Corporation. The collaboration targets financing constraints that continue to limit growth for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises across the continent.
Highlights
- Access Holdings Plc and International Finance Corporation formed a partnership to expand trade financing for African businesses, targeting cross-border and domestic trade activity.
- The initiative aims to address capital access challenges for African enterprises, especially smaller businesses struggling to secure funding for growth.
- IFC's participation brings expertise and resources to enhance transaction facilitation, with expectations of bolstered business growth and job creation across African markets.
Partnership targets trade finance gap
As reported by Businessday, Access Holdings Plc has entered into a strategic partnership with the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, to expand trade financing for African businesses. The initiative is aimed at making financing more accessible for companies seeking support for cross-border and domestic trade activity across the continent.The partnership is designed to address long-standing capital access challenges faced by businesses in Africa, especially smaller enterprises that often struggle to secure funding. By widening access to finance, the two institutions seek to support business expansion and improve the flow of trade transactions.
Potential boost for growth and jobs
The collaboration is also positioned as a broader economic development measure, with improved trade financing expected to help companies scale operations and participate more actively in regional commerce. Better access to working capital can strengthen supply chains and reduce funding bottlenecks for firms that rely on timely trade settlement.IFC's involvement brings additional expertise and resources to the arrangement, which Access Holdings says will help facilitate transactions more effectively. The expected outcome is stronger business growth and job creation in African markets where financing access remains a critical constraint.
Our earlier article on the IMF’s updated outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa highlighted that 2026 growth is expected to be slightly stronger, but with a worsening inflation path and the risk of tighter monetary policy across the region. We also noted mounting debt-servicing pressures and external shocks—such as higher global borrowing costs and climate-related disruptions—that can strain liquidity and make financing harder to secure.
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