The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the eight finalists selected for the first cohort of its flagship Afreximbank Accelerator Programme, a three-month initiative launching in March 2026 to support high-growth African startups driving innovation in intra-African trade.
The finalists emerged from a highly competitive field of more than 1,600 applications, reflecting the depth and diversity of entrepreneurial talent across Africa and the diaspora. Selection followed a rigorous multi-stage process involving detailed business assessments, interviews and pitch sessions, led by Afreximbank trade specialists and external experts from the venture capital and innovation ecosystem.
The chosen startups align with Afreximbank’s mandate to deliver measurable impact in intra-African and global African trade. They span key sectors including agriculture, e-commerce, market access, financial technology, supply chain solutions and manufacturing. Collectively, they are positioned to tackle persistent trade bottlenecks affecting continental and diaspora markets, while advancing Africa’s industrialisation and trade integration agenda.
Applications were received from across Africa, the diaspora and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), underscoring the programme’s broad geographic reach and Afreximbank’s commitment to integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Accelerator focuses on startups from Seed to Series A stage and applies a robust three-stage evaluation framework that blends expert insight, practical business assessment and strategic innovation criteria. The objective is not only to accelerate startup growth but also to strengthen a sustainable ecosystem for trade-led development across Africa.
Finalists in the Afreximbank Accelerator Programme will receive a comprehensive package of support. This includes potential equity investment of up to US$250,000, subject to selection criteria, through Afreximbank’s impact equity investment arm, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), aimed at enabling rapid scale-up and operational growth.
Participants will also benefit from structured mentorship, gaining access to seasoned experts, investors, trade specialists and industry leaders to refine business models and accelerate market entry under the AfCFTA framework. In addition, startups will be connected to Afreximbank’s pan-African trade ecosystem, including trade facilitation programmes, regulatory pathways and opportunities to leverage the Bank’s extensive network of governments, private sector stakeholders and multilateral partners.
The programme will combine virtual learning modules with hands-on workshops and in-person sessions hosted across regional hubs, including Abuja and Nairobi, as well as Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo. It will culminate in a high-profile Demo Day, where finalists will present their solutions to a global audience of investors, policymakers and industry leaders.
Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank at Afreximbank, said "The Afreximbank Accelerator Programme reflects our belief in the power of innovation to transform intra-African trade and also underscores the important role that Global Africa’s innovation plays in realising the promise of the AfCFTA. This inaugural cohort represents the future of African enterprise, and we are proud to invest in them from vision to scale to nurture solutions needed to unlock trade across Africa, the diaspora, and the Caribbean."
The Afreximbank Accelerator Programme reinforces the Bank’s broader strategy to champion homegrown solutions that address critical trade challenges and unlock Africa’s economic potential within the AfCFTA framework.
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