Ecobank Group has announced a landmark $3 billion trade finance commitment over the next three years aimed at accelerating intra-African and global trade.
The announcement was made during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi, as part of the bank’s active participation in the Africa-France Impact Coalition, an initiative led under the patronage of Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto.
According to Ecobank, the commitment is designed to support integrated value chains, strengthen economic sovereignty across the continent, and reinforce the group’s position as a key financial gateway connecting Africa to global markets.
Building on its operations across 34 African countries, Ecobank said it will collaborate with Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), including Proparco, to deploy the funds across strategic sectors such as agribusiness, manufacturing, and general commerce.
The bank stated that the initiative will expand access to competitive trade finance while supporting Africa’s long-term industrialisation agenda through investments in sustainable infrastructure, resilient supply chains, and human capital development.
By strengthening liquidity, providing guarantees, and deploying specialised trade instruments, Ecobank said African businesses will be better positioned to secure critical inputs, access new markets, and build resilience within increasingly complex global supply chains.
Speaking on the initiative, Jeremy Awori described the Africa-France Impact Coalition as a transformative platform for shared sovereignty and integrated supply chains.
‘Africa is rising and trading. By leveraging our Paris banking hub and partnerships with DFIs like Proparco, we are connecting African opportunities with global capital. This initiative is more than a financial commitment; it is a catalyst for trade, investment and talent – the pillars of Africa’s next decade,’ Awori said.
Ecobank noted that the $3 billion commitment reflects growing confidence in Africa’s capacity to industrialise, scale production, and compete effectively in global trade, especially at a time when intra-African trade is gaining momentum.
Central to the initiative is EBISA, Ecobank’s Paris-based banking platform, which will serve as the gateway connecting African enterprises with international markets.
The bank explained that EBISA will facilitate cross-border investment and trade flows while supporting ‘Made in Africa’ and ‘Co-Made in Africa and France’ business ecosystems.
Ecobank added that the initiative will focus not only on capital deployment but also on empowering entrepreneurs, SMEs, youth innovators, and women-led businesses across the continent.