The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has extended a US$10-million finance facility to Azania Bank of Tanzania to improve access to funding for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) operating across Tanzania’s export value chains.

The facility is also aimed at strengthening the ability of Tanzanian SMEs to participate in regional and international trade.

Provided through Afreximbank’s Export SME Development Programme (ESDP), the financing will allow Azania Bank to offer eligible SMEs working capital and medium-term funding. The financing will support business expansion, acquisition of assets, as well as pre- and post-export activities.

The initiative is expected to help businesses increase productivity and become more integrated into regional and global value chains, while tackling financing shortages that have continued to limit SME expansion and export development.

Azania Bank will on-lend the facility to qualifying SMEs involved in export-focused activities in agriculture, manufacturing, trade, technology, logistics and value-added exports.

The funding will increase the bank’s capacity to respond to the financing requirements of SMEs and emerging businesses, which are important to Tanzania’s industrialisation and trade agenda.

Beyond financing, the initiative is expected to facilitate business expansion, employment creation and greater export readiness. It is also intended to strengthen Tanzania’s position in regional value chains and enable SMEs to take advantage of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Through improved capacity to engage in cross-border commerce and regional supply networks, participating enterprises are expected to be better positioned to access the opportunities available under the continental trade framework.

Afreximbank will complement the financing with structured business development assistance for participating SMEs. The support will cover export readiness training, financial management advisory services, market linkage opportunities, digitalisation support, and access to SME-focused knowledge and networking platforms.

The interventions are designed to build enterprise resilience, strengthen competitiveness and support sustainable business growth.

“SMEs are the backbone of Africa’s productive economy and are critical to driving industrialisation, value addition and trade-led growth. However, many businesses continue to face significant barriers to accessing the financing, market opportunities and technical support needed to scale and compete effectively. Through the Export SME Development Programme, Afreximbank is partnering with financial institutions such as Azania Bank to provide not only financing, but also the capacity building and market access solutions required for SMEs to grow, export and integrate into regional and global value chains. We believe this partnership will contribute meaningfully to Tanzania’s export development objectives and help unlock new opportunities for local enterprises under the AfCFTA,” said Mrs. Oluranti Doherty, Managing Director, Export Development, Afreximbank.

“This facility will strengthen our ability to provide Tanzanian SMEs with the financing they need to grow their businesses, invest in productive capacity and pursue export opportunities. Our partnership with Afreximbank will also enable us to offer support that responds more closely to the needs of businesses operating across Tanzania’s key value chains,” said Mr. Yahaya Mbanka, Director, Business Development, Azania Bank Plc.

The facility supports Afreximbank’s broader mandate of promoting trade, industrialisation and export development across Africa. It also corresponds with Tanzania’s priorities concerning domestic production, value addition, export diversification and regional trade integration.

According to Afreximbank’s 2025 Afreximbank Annual Trade Development Effectiveness Report (ATDER), the bank provided more than US$960 million to over 58,000 SMEs across Africa.

The initiative prioritised women- and youth-led enterprises, among others, and provided trade finance facilities that helped businesses secure the capital required to expand, participate in cross-border trade and enter new markets.

Source: techafricanews