By Obinna Uballa
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has joined the 2025 edition of African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies as a Diamond Partner, reinforcing its role as a key driver of energy and infrastructure financing on the continent, a statement from the organisers said on Monday.
The move, according to the statement, comes amid a renewed push to mobilize capital for Africa’s energy sector, which faces an investment gap estimated between $31 billion and $50 billion annually.
Afreximbank’s participation is expected to facilitate new transactions and support efforts to eliminate energy poverty by 2030, the statement added.
The Cairo-based multilateral lender disclosed that it recently committed to several high-profile deals, including agreements worth $1 billion to fund energy projects in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. These include: $300 million facility with NBS Bank of Malawi to de-risk investments across energy, transport and logistics; A Heads of Terms agreement with Green Hybrid Power Private Ltd for a 1GW hybrid solar project in Zimbabwe, and a $4 million facility for Proton Energy to advance the 500MW Sapele Gas Power Plant in Nigeria.
Afreximbank, according to the statement, also played a major role in financing Africa’s largest crude oil refinery, the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria.
The bank said it recently arranged a $1.35 billion facility as part of a $4 billion syndicated financing package for Dangote Industries. Additionally, it said it has been mandated to raise capital for the $4.5 billion EG-27 LNG project in Equatorial Guinea.
As part of its long-term strategy, Afreximbank said it is spearheading the creation of the Africa Energy Bank (AEB), a new institution with an initial capitalization of $5 billion aimed at bridging the continent’s financing gap.
Abuja, Nigeria, will serve as the headquarters for the bank, with Angola, Ghana and Nigeria already fulfilling funding commitments, the statement disclosed.
NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, praised Afreximbank’s involvement, saying its financing structures “are expected to support the development and expansion of critical oil and gas infrastructure, underscoring its instrumental role in strengthening Africa’s energy sector.”
AEW 2025, billed as Africa’s premier energy investment event, will provide a platform for deal-making between developers and financiers when it convenes in Cape Town later this year, the statement concluded.
