NEXI and Afreximbank renew their cooperation on the sidelines of TICAD 9

Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) and the pan-African multilateral financial institution, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), have signed an amended memorandum of understanding (MOU), taking advantage of the opportunity of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) held in Tokyo, Japan, from 20 to 22 August 2025.

Signed by NEXI Chairman and CEO Atsuo Kuroda and Executive Vice-President of Afreximbank, Haytham ElMaayergi on 20^th August 2025, the document amends an earlier MOU concluded between the two institutions in 2022 which established a cooperative framework between them.

NEXI has also had enhanced relationship with Afreximbank since Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7) in 2019 through various efforts, such as establishing consultation desks, called Japan Desk, that support Japanese companies interested in doing business in Africa, and underwriting loan insurances for financing to Afreximbank through its LEAD Initiative¹².

The 2022 MOU provided for NEXI and Afreximbank to collaborate in facilitating financing mobilization as well as exchange of information³. The amendment of the MOU is intended to consider a potential new two-step loan framework under NEXI’s LEAD Initiative to support specific sectors and areas that are identified, based on mutual interest, taking into consideration both African countries’ needs and the interests of Japanese companies, such as the healthcare sector, food security, agribusiness, energy, ICT and digital infrastructure, critical minerals and transportation as well as any other sectors mutually agreed upon by NEXI and Afreximbank.

Under the collaboration with Afreximbank, NEXI is considering a framework to provide financial support for projects that address some social challenges in Africa, including that of inadequate medical infrastructure, by utilizing Japanese companies’ technologies and expertise.

NEXI, as a governmental financial institution of Japan, will continue to actively support Japanese companies’ overseas business activities, including export, investment and financing to Africa, through developing cooperation with international and governmental financial institutions.

- About Afreximbank

African Export-Import Bank (the “Bank”) is a multilateral trade finance institution, established in October 1993. It commenced operations in September 1994. The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. The Bank’s mandate is to promote, finance and facilitate intra-and extra-African trade while operating commercially.

The Bank has 100 percent controlling interests in FEDA Holdings, FEDA Investments Management and FEDA Capital (collectively known as FEDA entities) which were established in 2021. FEDA was initiated by Afreximbank and established by a Treaty amongst Africa participating states to facilitate foreign direct investment flows into Africa’s trade and tradable sectors and to fill the equity funding gap in the continent. The Bank incorporated Afreximbank Insurance Management Company (AfrexInsure) in 2021. The objective of this vehicle is to help Africa to retain, on the continent, a sizeable proportion of trade-related written insurance premiums. Additionally, the Bank has also incorporated two entities: African Medical Centre of Excellence Limited (AMCE), whose principal activities include providing world-class medical and health facilities, and African Quality Assurance Centre Limited (AQAC), a company established to ensure that products made in Africa meet applicable international standards and technical regulations. AQAC offers testing, inspection, and certification services, including the provision of conformity assessment training. In addition, the Bank holds controlling interest in AFCFTA Adjustment Fund Corporation Limited (AFCFTA), and CANEX Creations Incorporated (CANEX).

The Bank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody's (Baa2), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB-).

https://www.afreximbank.com/

Contact:
Infrastructure Group, Loan Insurance Department
Tel: +81-(0)3-3512-7674