It’s a major turning point for trade in Africa. In Abuja, Afreximbank is inaugurating its very first *African Trade Centre* (AATC), an ambitious project designed to boost intra-African and international trade. This state-of-the-art business center marks the beginning of a strategic network across the continent, with the aim of stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship. Why was Nigeria chosen as the location for this first project? What impact will it have on the African economy?
Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, hosts a historic turning point for African trade. This Thursday, April 10, 2025, Afreximbank officially inaugurated its first African Trade Centre, a modern business complex designed to stimulate innovation and collaboration on the continent. This center, the first of a network planned for nine strategic cities, embodies an ambitious vision: to create integrated trade hubs to transform the African economic landscape. With its high-end offices, business hotel and infrastructure dedicated to conferences and SME incubation, the Abuja AATC is positioned as a catalyst for intra-African trade.
With this, we hope to create an important AATC network that will serve as a beacon to guide the interconnections and flow of trade and investment with continental Africa, and between Africa and the Caribbean region, as well as with the wider African diaspora.
Benedict Oramah, Chairman, Afreximbank – Nigeria
The choice of Abuja as the first location underlines Nigeria’s strategic role in the African economy. According to World Economics, the country will have a GDP of $568 billion in 2024, making it the continent’s leading economy. With an estimated population of 229.5 million in 2024, according to Statista, it represents Africa’s largest consumer market. The installation of the Afreximbank African Trade Centre is part of this dynamic, structuring an ecosystem conducive to trade and investment.
We are convinced that the AATC will become a dynamic center for trade, innovation and economic cooperation, not only for Nigeria, but for the entire African continent.
George Akume, Secretary to the Federal Government – Nigeria
The AATC system is a testament to the power of collaboration, resilience and forward-thinking leadership. It is more than a physical structure, it is a means of innovation, a hub for entrepreneurship and a catalyst for sustainable development.
Adebayo Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance – Nigeria
Other centers will soon follow, notably in Harare, Kampala and Cairo. Initiatives that will ultimately reshape the commercial connections between Africa, the Caribbean and the rest of the world. With the AATC, Africa is laying a cornerstone towards a future where trade and innovation go hand in hand.