The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has approved a US$10 million financing facility for Azania Bank Plc in Tanzania to expand access to funding for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in export-related activities.
The facility is being provided through Afreximbank's Export SME Development Programme (ESDP) and is expected to enable Azania Bank to provide eligible businesses with working capital and medium-term financing.
The financing can support areas including business expansion, acquisition of productive assets, and activities carried out before and after exports.
Agriculture, Manufacturing and Technology Among Targeted Sectors
Eligible businesses operating across several sectors are expected to benefit from the programme.
These include agriculture, manufacturing, trade, technology, logistics and value-added export businesses.
The initiative is also expected to help businesses expand their operations, create jobs and improve their readiness to participate in international trade.
Support Beyond Financing
Afreximbank is also expected to provide participating SMEs with business development assistance.
The support will include export-readiness training, financial management advice, market-linkage opportunities, digitalisation assistance and access to SME-focused knowledge and networking platforms.
The bank said the combination of financing and business support is intended to strengthen the ability of Tanzanian enterprises to compete and expand into regional and global markets.
AfCFTA Opportunities
The programme is also designed to help Tanzanian businesses take advantage of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
By improving access to finance and business support, the initiative is expected to help participating SMEs increase their involvement in cross-border trade and regional supply chains.
Afreximbank's Managing Director, Export Development, Oluranti Doherty, said the programme is intended to address some of the financing, market-access and technical-support challenges facing African SMEs.
Azania Bank's Director of Business Development, Yahaya Mbanka, said the partnership would strengthen the bank's ability to finance businesses seeking to expand their operations and pursue export opportunities.
Afreximbank's Wider SME Financing
The initiative forms part of Afreximbank's broader efforts to support small and medium-sized businesses across Africa.
According to the bank's 2025 Annual Trade Development Effectiveness Report, it provided more than US$960 million to over 58,000 SMEs across the continent. The report also highlighted support for women- and youth-led enterprises.
Source/Credit: Vanguard News — report by Udeme Akpan, published September 17, 2026.
Editorial Note: This article has been independently rewritten by Naija Daily Whisper based on the credited source. Direct quotations remain attributed to the original speakers.
Labels: Business, Africa, SMEs, Tanzania, Afreximbank, AfCFTA, Export
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