Afreximbank has called for greater investment in digital infrastructure that connects African markets and enables businesses to trade across borders, warning that the continent’s digital transformation must deliver tangible economic benefits.
Haytham El Maayergi, Executive Vice President for Global Trade Bank at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), made the call at the Alamein Africa Forum 2026, where he highlighted the need to align investments in data centres, fibre-optic networks, energy and artificial intelligence with the practical needs of African businesses.
Speaking during a session titled “Innovation Frontiers: Rewiring Africa’s Economy,” El Maayergi said Africa’s digital future depended not only on building technological infrastructure but also on using it to expand market access, improve financing and facilitate cross-border transactions.
Afreximbank is supporting these efforts through infrastructure financing and digital trade platforms, including the Africa Trade Gateway and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).
The platforms are designed to help businesses identify trading opportunities, access financial services and make cross-border payments, addressing some of the barriers that limit commerce between African countries.
Despite efforts to deepen regional integration, businesses operating across African borders continue to face challenges related to payments, financing and access to markets. Improving digital connectivity could help reduce these obstacles and make regional trade more efficient.
El Maayergi also emphasised the importance of African ownership, skills development and homegrown innovation, arguing that the continent must retain a greater share of the economic value generated by its data and technology.
This would require African countries and businesses to build the capabilities needed to develop, manage and benefit from digital infrastructure, rather than relying solely on external technology providers.
The call comes as African economies seek to accelerate industrialisation, strengthen regional value chains and expand intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
For Afreximbank, the ultimate measure of digital transformation should be its impact on businesses and livelihoods, including the number of African enterprises trading across borders, creating jobs and competing in international markets.
The bank’s approach links digital investment with broader efforts to improve trade finance, payment systems and economic integration across the continent.
As Africa expands its digital infrastructure, the challenge will be to ensure that technological advances translate into practical opportunities for businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises that need affordable financing and reliable access to regional markets.
