The AATC is hailed as a groundbreaking initiative, showcasing a unified commitment to boosting intra-African trade, driving economic integration, and unlocking the continent’s vast potential.
“This Centre will play a pivotal role in facilitating trade, building capacity, and promoting investment – all critical components of Africa’s economic transformation,” stated Dr. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Nigeria.
Prof. Benedict Oramah, Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board, noted that the Abuja AATC is the first of many planned across Africa and the Caribbean. Some will be owned by Afreximbank, while others will operate under a franchise model.
“These Centres will create a robust network to guide trade and investment flows within Africa and between Africa and the Caribbean regions,” he explained.
The Abuja AATC represents over 41 months of effort and serves multiple purposes.
It will foster deeper regional and continental integration, house Afreximbank’s permanent regional office, and fulfill a long-standing aspiration. The Centre will also feature a technology incubation hub, an SME facility, a Digital Africa Trade Gateway, a conference and exhibition space, and a business hotel.
The project consists of two interconnected nine-storey towers. One tower offers world-class commercial office spaces, a trade and exhibition centre, conference facilities, a technology incubator, SME support, a Digital Trade Gateway, and a trade information hub. The second tower houses a 148-room business hotel, seminar rooms, wellness amenities, a restaurant, and additional facilities.
Plans for additional AATCs include locations in Kampala, Uganda; Harare, Zimbabwe; Cairo, Egypt; Yaoundé, Cameroon; Tunis, Tunisia; Kigali, Rwanda; and Bridgetown, Barbados – the first centre outside Africa.
Afreximbank also aims to establish non-Bank owned AATCs globally through