The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, is intensifying efforts to boost intra-African trade through the Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), a digital ecosystem designed to connect businesses, financial institutions, and service providers across the continent.
Launched in 2023, the platform is aimed at facilitating trade activities for importers, exporters, logistics firms, banks, and investors while supporting implementation of the AfCFTA agreement.
At the just ended Biashara Africa 2026 Summit, organisers say the initiative is helping businesses unlock opportunities within Africa’s unified continental market.
According to information contained in an official ATG brochure, the platform offers services ranging from cross-border e-commerce and trade financing to payments, market intelligence, due diligence, and business matchmaking. The system is designed to help African businesses trade more securely while improving access to verified buyers, suppliers, logistics providers, and financial services.
The platform currently spans more than 45 African countries and includes over 50,000 verified business profiles, 110 commercial banks, and more than 45 trade associations. ATG also reports that over 12,000 active importers and exporters are already using the ecosystem, with requests for quotations exceeding $4 billion generated through the platform.
Afreximbank said the initiative forms part of its broader strategy to use digital systems to accelerate trade, improve competitiveness, and strengthen Africa’s regional value chains under the AfCFTA framework.
ATC highlights several benefits for businesses and institutions, including simplified Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, access to trade finance, cross-border payments in local currencies, real-time market data, and support for expanding into new markets with reduced risk.
The ATG ecosystem also places emphasis on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by helping them connect with verified trade partners, financing institutions, and investment opportunities. Organisers say the platform is intended to reduce barriers that have historically limited intra-African commerce.
The AfCFTA Secretariat, headquartered in Accra, Ghana, is collaborating with Afreximbank to scale the initiative as part of broader efforts to deepen regional integration and increase trade among African countries. The trade agreement currently covers most African Union member states and is regarded as one of the continent’s most ambitious economic integration projects.
Officials say the platform will continue onboarding businesses, financial institutions, and trade partners while providing training and support services to encourage wider participation in the continent’s growing digital trade ecosystem.
