Afreximbank Invests US$249.5m in African Trade Centre, Names Egypt Global Hub

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)  has marked a major milestone with the groundbreaking ceremony of the Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital. The new facility will also serve as the Bank’s global headquarters, reinforcing Egypt’s long-standing role as host country to the pan-African financial institution.

Located in the Diplomatic District of the New Capital, about 45 kilometres east of Cairo, the Afreximbank African Trade Centre will sit within a purpose-built environment that brings together government ministries, foreign embassies and international organisations. The project will be the first African Trade Centre of its kind in North Africa and is designed to strengthen trade facilitation and continental economic integration.

Speaking at the ceremony, Egypt’s Prime Minister, Dr Mostafa Madbouly, said the establishment of the AATC reflects Egypt’s commitment to advancing African trade and integration. He noted that, as the host of Afreximbank’s global headquarters, Egypt is proud to deepen its partnership with the Bank through a landmark facility that will function as a hub for trade intelligence, capacity building, innovation and continental connectivity.

Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board, Dr George Elombi, expressed appreciation to the Egyptian government for its continued support since the Bank’s establishment in 1993. He highlighted Egypt’s role in hosting Afreximbank’s headquarters for more than three decades and noted that Egypt, through its Central Bank, is the institution’s largest sovereign shareholder.

Dr Elombi explained that the new African Trade Centre is intended to go beyond meeting the Bank’s growing space requirements. He said the facility is designed to address persistent gaps in trade and investment information that have constrained the growth of intra-African trade and investment for decades. He described the relationship between Afreximbank and Egypt as mutually beneficial, noting that the Bank has disbursed about US$41 billion into the Egyptian economy to date, supporting key sectors such as energy, telecommunications, construction and manufacturing, while strengthening Egypt’s trade ties with the rest of Africa.

The AATC in Cairo is expected to position Egypt as a major continental trade hub. The complex will host technology and SME incubation centres, as well as a digital African trade gateway providing trade information, customer due diligence, payments and other digital trade services.

The Cairo project forms part of Afreximbank’s broader strategy to establish a network of African Trade Centres across strategic commercial hubs in Africa and the Caribbean. These centres are intended to provide market intelligence, financing, networking platforms and business support services to accelerate trade, deepen economic cooperation and drive intra-African growth.

Occupying a 48,888-square-metre site, the development will feature two basement levels and six floors, with a total built-up area of more than 156,000 square metres. Once completed, the centre will provide over 57,000 square metres of office space for Afreximbank’s expanding workforce, with additional offices for African and international trade, finance and investment institutions, as well as selected diplomatic missions.

The complex will include a trade information centre, a world-class library and knowledge hub, an innovation and SME incubation centre, a business centre, a 110-room aparthotel, a 750-seat conference centre, an exhibition space, retail and dining facilities, and a 1,200-bay parking structure. Its architectural design features interconnected blocks arranged around a landscaped internal street, incorporating green courtyards, shaded walkways and collaborative spaces.

Designed to achieve Gold-level LEED certification or higher, the new headquarters will incorporate energy-efficient systems, solar power integration, water-saving technologies and climate-responsive design. Afreximbank has appointed Hassan Allam Construction as the main contractor under a US$249.5 million contract, with EHAF Consulting Engineers overseeing architectural design and project supervision.

Scheduled for completion in early 2029, the Cairo AATC follows the groundbreaking of the Barbados centre in March 2025 and the opening of the Abuja centre in April 2025, with similar developments underway in Harare and Kampala. When completed, the Afreximbank African Trade Centre network will span cities including Abuja, Harare, Kampala, Cairo, Abidjan, Yaoundé, Bridgetown, Kigali and Tunis, connecting African and global trade and investment stakeholders across multiple regions.