Auboin, Awani, Mene, Quaynor to lead conversations at Access Bank’s Africa Trade Conference

ACCESS Bank Plc, Africa’s leading financial institution, has announced a line-up of speakers for the maiden edition of its highly anticipated Africa Trade Conference 2025, set to hold on today (Wednesday), at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), South Africa. Under the theme “Empowering Africa: Driving Trade, Innovation, and Sustainable Prosperity”, the conference will convene some of the most influential figures in global finance, trade, and economic development to discuss the future of commerce and investment across the continent.

Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele K. Mene,  will deliver the keynote address, exploring how Africa can fully harness the AfCFTA to drive economic growth and industrialisation. The event will also feature a presentation from Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President of the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), who will analyse the opportunities and challenges shaping Africa’s trade landscape.

Further insights will come from Solomon Quaynor, Vice President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), who will examine the role of trade facilitation in economic growth, and Dr. Marc Auboin, Counsellor for Economic Research and Statistics at the World Trade Organization (WTO), who will discuss the impact of digitisation and innovation on global supply chains.

Adding further depth to the discussions, experts from leading multinational financial institutions will weigh in on strategies for enhancing Africa’s competitiveness in global markets. Florian Wicht, Regional Lead for Africa, Trade & Supply Chain Finance at IFC, alongside Kristina Holzha user, Managing Director for Regional FI Africa & Middle East at Commerzbank AG; Ferdinand Zaumu, Managing Director, Head of Trade & Working Capital Solutions for the Middle East and Africa at Citibank, and Shyamasish Acharya, Resident Representative, India EXIM Bank, will provide perspectives on financing solutions to unlock trade potential. Meanwhile, Eduardo Barbosa, CFO of Grupo Naval, along with other industry leaders, will share practical insights from the private sector on navigating Africa’s evolving trade and logistics environment.

Tanya Dos Santos-Ford, Faculty Lead on Climate Leadership and Sustainability at GIBS Business School, who will lead  discussion on the intersection of trade and sustainability, is billed to explore how Africa can balance trade expansion with environmental responsibility. Additionally, industry leaders such as Marcelo Mendes, Head of Commercial at Tennant Metals South Africa, and Lodewyk Meyer, Director of Banking and Finance at OWP Partners, will offer perspectives on how businesses can capitalise on Africa’s growing trade opportunities while mitigating risks.

With an agenda designed to foster actionable solutions and strategic partnerships, the Africa Trade Conference 2025 is set to be a defining event for business leaders, investors, and policymakers working to unlock Africa’s vast trade potential.

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