by Curlan Campbell
- Intra-African Trade Fair, held every 2 years, is currently underway in Algeria
- Successful Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) was held in Grenada
- Afreximbank signed MoU with Grenada Development Bank
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is cementing its role in fostering trade and investment between Africa and the Caribbean, with Grenada emerging as a key partner in the bank’s regional strategy.
Okechukwu Ihejirika, Acting Chief Operating Officer for Afreximbank’s Caribbean Office, described the bank’s growing footprint following the successful hosting of the Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) in Grenada.
Ihejirika spoke to regional journalists in an interview at the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025). Afreximbank, the African Union Commission, and the AfCFTA Secretariat are co-organising the 4th IATF in Algiers, Algeria, from 4–10 September 2025. “The most recent is that we brought Africa and the Caribbean and the rest of the world to Grenada, where we had the Afro Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum, which, by the way, was a huge success,” Ihejirika said. “We were expecting 1,000 participants, but the numbers were so humongous that it was about 2,100 who participated.”
According to Ihejirika, the forum has already led to tangible outcomes. “We have financed an Egyptian company that has hospitality interests in Grenada. So that’s our first intervention in Grenada, financing the Silversands Group.” He noted that additional investors who identified opportunities during ACTIF have since approached the bank for support.
On the public sector side, Afreximbank signed a memorandum of understanding with the Grenada Development Bank, a move aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). “We will work with Grenada Development Bank to reach out to those SMEs in Grenada who otherwise wouldn’t have access to the financial system,” Ihejirika explained. “That intervention is not going to be only financial. We are also going to involve some technical intervention… access to market guidelines and so on.”
The bank is also in discussions with the Grenadian government on “a world-class hospital project,” which Ihejirika said he hopes will materialise soon. He emphasised that Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell’s personal participation at ACTIF reflects the political commitment behind the Africa-Caribbean partnership. “So for me, I would say Grenada is a critical partner for us.”
Ihejirika also highlighted the significance of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), describing it as “a premier exhibition platform for African businesses to showcase what they have to the rest of the world.”
Looking at broader opportunities for Africa-Caribbean collaboration, he pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which creates the largest single market globally. “Combining that with the Caribbean gives it even a lot more push,” he said, stressing the opportunities for Caribbean manufacturers to export to Africa’s 1.2 billion consumers.
Ihejirika said the cultural and creative industries have not been left out of the conversation. “Previously, Caribbean music was adored in the African space,” Ihejirika noted. “We are working to create that connectivity… whereby we recognise ourselves for who we are, having similar history and cultural background, so we can leverage on that to push our common agenda forward.”
He identified renewable energy, particularly geothermal, as another promising sector. “The Caribbean has huge geothermal potential, which a lot of African companies are interested in helping them develop.” Similarly, in oil and gas, Afreximbank sees opportunities for knowledge transfer. “Through our connection, they will be able to now also have a platform to interact with African entities who have successfully navigated through oil discoveries, so that they will… maximise the benefits accrued within a very short period.”
The 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025) is currently underway in Algeria this week, featuring a full lineup of activities and events. Held every 2 years, the fair brings together more than 2,000 exhibitors along with thousands of buyers from across Africa and beyond. Organisers anticipate that the event will generate over $44 billion in trade and investment agreements.
Interesting.One of the first investments is financing Silversands group, an Egyptian company ???Has the big man run out of money or perhaps he has wisely decided not to use his own funds