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By Newz.Africa, Business Desk | 19 March 2026 | Lagos, Africa |Afreximbank
Afreximbank has urged African countries to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasising the role of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund in easing short-term transition costs. The call was made during a stakeholders’ engagement event in Lagos on 10 March, where the Fund was introduced to Nigerian institutional investors.
What’s Happening
The AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Corporation convened Nigerian institutional investors in Lagos to present the Fund as a catalytic instrument for advancing the AfCFTA. The initiative is designed to help countries manage fiscal stabilisation challenges while enabling industries to modernise and strengthen competitiveness as the continent moves towards a single market.
Newz.Africa Analysis
The event was chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and attended by senior figures from pension fund administrators, investment institutions, and Afreximbank leadership. Mrs Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development, joined Mr Jean Louis Ekra, former Afreximbank President and Chairman of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Corporation, alongside Mr Emmanuel Assiak, Acting CEO of the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA).
Afreximbank has committed US$1 billion to private sector financing interventions across Africa and US$10 million in grant funding to support State Parties in preparing for AfCFTA implementation. The Fund is operationalised through a joint venture between Afreximbank and the AfCFTA Secretariat, with Afreximbank serving as Fund manager via its impact investment subsidiary, FEDA.
The AfCFTA Adjustment Fund is positioned as a strategic tool to mitigate short-term disruptions such as tariff revenue losses, supply chain shifts, and increased competition. By providing fiscal support and enabling industries to retool, the Fund aims to smooth the transition towards a unified continental market.
For African institutional investors, the initiative represents a new asset class aligned with long-term continental integration goals. Its success will depend on sustained engagement with governments, regulators, and private sector actors to ensure readiness and maximise benefits from trade liberalisation.
The Lagos engagement forms part of a broader continental series designed to build investor confidence in the Fund’s capacity to support AfCFTA implementation. As African economies prepare for deeper integration, the Adjustment Fund is expected to play a central role in bridging fiscal gaps and strengthening competitiveness across industries.
The AfCFTA Adjustment Fund represents a pivotal mechanism for ensuring that African economies can navigate the immediate challenges of trade liberalisation while positioning themselves for long-term growth within a unified continental market. With Afreximbank’s financial commitments and the operational partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Fund is set to play a central role in stabilising fiscal systems, modernising industries, and strengthening competitiveness. As momentum builds across the continent, the success of the AfCFTA will hinge on how effectively countries and businesses leverage this instrument to accelerate integration and unlock the full potential of Africa’s single market.
Original Reporting
Original reporting: Newz.Africa reviewed the Afreximbank press release issued on 19 March 2026 and noted details of the Lagos stakeholders’ event, funding commitments, and operational structure of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund.
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