Afreximbank Summit — Edun Leads Vision for Continental Growth, Position Nigeria as Epicenter of Trade.
By Raymond Enoch.
Nigeria has formally declared its intent to become the nerve center of intra-African trade, as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, laid out a compelling economic vision at the opening of the 32nd Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM 2025), held in the Federal Capital Territory.
The conference, convened under the theme “Building the Future on Decades of Resilience,” welcomed over 5,000 regional and global stakeholders, including African Heads of State, central bank governors, business leaders, and development partners.
In his keynote remarks, Edun positioned Nigeria as a gateway economy — signaling a new strategic direction that leverages Afreximbank partnerships to deepen industrial capacity, improve trade finance, and enhance regional connectivity through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“This isn’t just about hosting a meeting,” Edun stated. “It’s about Nigeria taking its rightful place as the beating heart of African trade and investment.”
With over $52 billion disbursed to Nigeria to date, including major investments in the African Medical Centre of Excellence and the Quality Assurance Centre, Afreximbank’s support has been instrumental in fueling the country’s diversification agenda.
Edun used the platform to highlight Nigeria’s top-performer status within the bank’s portfolio and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to trade-enabling infrastructure and reform-led macroeconomic stability.
Since assuming office, the Tinubu-led administration has implemented a series of bold fiscal and structural reforms — including fuel subsidy removal, currency unification, and regulatory ease for foreign investors. These efforts, Edun noted, are already attracting renewed investor confidence and unlocking doors to concessional and blended financing models.
“We are not just reforming for reform’s sake,” Edun told participants. “We are building a new economy, founded on transparency, productivity, and regional leadership.”
Africa’s Trade Future Starts in Abuja
The AAM 2025 event also coincided with meetings of Afreximbank’s Advisory Group on Trade Finance and Export Development in Africa, the AfCFTA’s policy dialogues, and strategic project signings expected to drive capital into small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), infrastructure, and cross-border digital payment systems.
Promotion of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS)
Deepening support for CARICOM-Africa trade linkages
Policy sessions on sustainable development and industrialization
Minister Edun emphasized that the meetings serve as a launchpad for broader engagement beyond Nigeria’s borders, underscoring the country’s commitment to regional integration and transcontinental cooperation.
“The eyes of Africa are on Abuja — and Nigeria is ready to lead,” he declared.
As Afreximbank and its stakeholders look to implement actionable outcomes from the summit, Nigeria’s capital now stands as a symbol of what coordinated economic diplomacy can achieve on a continental scale.
