By Jayden Bagshaw
The African Export-Import Bank’s Trade Report 2025 issues a pointed call for a structural reset of Africa’s export model, warning that continued reliance on commodity exports will leave economies exposed to price volatility and external shocks. Afreximbank urges governments to adopt an industrial strategy focused on value addition, logistics modernisation and the expansion of export credit facilities to support manufacturing and agro-processing.
The report provides granular policy recommendations, including upgrading national quality infrastructure to meet international standards, expanding export-oriented special economic zones with integrated logistics services, and strengthening regional export credit agencies to underwrite longer-tenor financing for capital-intensive projects. Afreximbank stresses the importance of public investment in transport corridors and port efficiency, alongside incentives for private capital to invest in downstream processing.
Sectors identified for priority development include agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy components and selected manufacturing niches with clear comparative advantages. Afreximbank also recommends leveraging AfCFTA to build regional demand platforms that can serve as launchpads for scaled production and export diversification. The report concludes that coordinated fiscal and industrial policy, coupled with catalytic finance and technical assistance, is essential to convert export potential into resilient, high-value export performance.