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Afreximbank Africa Trade Report shows Africa can turn geopolitical disruptions into long-term growth opportunity

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Afreximbank

The report highlights Africa’s continued growth resilience despite significant headwinds occasioned by escalating geopolitical tensions and ensuing economic shifts

CAIRO, Egypt, June 24, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has launched the 2026 edition of its flagship African Trade Report themed “Leveraging Geopolitics for Trade and Industrialisation in Global Africa.” The report presents a comprehensive review of trade and economic developments across Africa and globally in the context of the 2025 operating environment, while outlining available strategic options for Africa to transform ongoing geopolitical tensions and associated supply chain disruptions into long-term resilience for growth and shared prosperity across the continent.

 

The report highlights Africa’s continued growth resilience despite significant headwinds occasioned by escalating geopolitical tensions and ensuing economic shifts. Reflecting the continent’s growth resilience, the report shows that while global economic growth slowed to 3.4 percent in 2025 and is projected to further ease to 3.1 percent in 2026, Africa’s real GDP growth strengthened from 3.4 percent in 2024 to 4.5 percent in 2025. This performance not only surpasses the global average but also highlights the continent’s improving economic fundamentals in a fractured world economic order.

Africa’s merchandise trade also delivered strong performance, expanding by 6.1 percent to reach approximately US$1.5 trillion, while aggregate inflation declined sharply from 21.6 percent in 2024 to 13.1 percent 2025. These outcomes reflect the stabilising effects of prudent macroeconomic management, ongoing policy and institutional reforms, and the countercyclical interventions of development finance institutions across the continent.

Commenting on the Africa Trade Report’s findings, Dr Yemi Kale, Group Chief Economist and Managing Director of Research and Trade Intelligence at Afreximbank, said:

By strategically leveraging these shifts, Africa can build a more resilient, competitive and inclusive economic future

Africa stands at a critical juncture. Geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation are reshaping global trade patterns, but they also present a historic opportunity for the continent. By strategically leveraging these shifts, Africa can build a more resilient, competitive and inclusive economic future.

Afreximbank

“It is imperative for the continent to act decisively to strengthen regional value chains, deepen industrial capacity, expand access to trade finance, and accelerate continental integration. Through coordinated policy action, strategic infrastructure investment, and stronger development finance institutions, Africa can build a more resilient, inclusive, and value-added trade ecosystem. Africa cannot afford to delay.”

The report further highlights that Africa’s export performance remains constrained by a persistent trade finance gap, estimated at approximately US$74 billion in 2025. The challenge is exacerbated by limited foreign exchange liquidity and the continued decline in correspondent banking relationships, factors that restrict the continent’s capacity to fully realise its trade and industrial potential.

At the same time, evolving shipping routes and prolonged disruptions to global logistics networks continue to extend delivery timelines and increase freight and trading costs. These pressures are particularly acute for African economies that remain heavily reliant on imported inputs and external markets, even as global supply chains increasingly reconfigure toward resilience, diversification, and emergence of alternative production hubs.

The report also outlines several strategic priorities, including the accelerated implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the expansion of digital payments infrastructure through the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), and coordinated reforms to the global financial architecture. It further underscores the growing role of African financial institutions in strengthening economic resilience. Afreximbank, a founding member of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), disbursed US$17.5 billion in 2024 and is working to double intra-African trade finance by 2026. Meanwhile, Pan African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) is already helping to reduce transaction costs and lessen reliance on foreign currencies across the continent.

As geopolitical tensions continue to reshape global supply chains and trade patterns, the continent’s ability to leverage these shifts will depend on strengthening industrial ecosystems, expanding intra-African trade, and sustaining coordinated financial support. Ultimately, a combination of adaptive policy frameworks, strategic trade positioning, and robust direct foreign investment interventions will be central to driving a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable industrialisation pathway for Global Africa. The imperative now is to act with ambition and urgency. This would require accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), expanding intra-African trade finance, strengthening transport and logistics infrastructure, and deepening digital payment systems through the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).

The full report can be downloaded here:  https://apo-opa.co/4xNkbFx

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

 

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African SaaS Leader Becomes Seamless Technologies, Unveils Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Financial Solutions

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The move reflects the company’s long-term commitment to building technology infrastructure that supports productivity, access, and enables prosperity for working Africans

LAGOS, Nigeria, July 15, 2026/APO Group/ –SeamlessHR (www.SeamlessHR.com), a leading African HR technology company, today announced its evolution into Seamless Technologies, a strategic transition driven by the company’s expansion into AI and financial services and its ambition to build a broader technology platform serving businesses and workers across Africa.

 

Having established itself as a market leader in HR technology, Seamless Technologies is extending its capabilities beyond workforce management to address one of the continent’s most significant challenges: access to financial services. Working with partners, the company is enabling businesses and their employees to access financial solutions directly within the flow of work, creating new opportunities for financial inclusion, operational efficiency, and business growth.

Under the new corporate structure, Seamless Technologies operates through three core verticals: SeamlessHR, its flagship workforce management platform; Breeze, an embedded financial service that gives businesses and workers access to Employee Self-Service, financial solutions including payroll financing, earned wage access, and lifestyle services; and SeamlessProcure, a procurement solution designed to streamline enterprise purchasing and vendor management.

As part of this evolution, Seamless Technologies is expanding its workforce technology portfolio with the launch of BWOP (Blue Collar Operations Platform), a solution built for organisations managing frontline and shift-based workforces. Together with SeamlessHR’s existing platform for office-based teams, BWOP enables the company to support the full spectrum of workforce operations, helping businesses digitise attendance, payroll, workforce records, communication, and employee self-service regardless of where work happens.

This evolution reflects a much bigger opportunity than HR technology alone

Supporting these products is Samira, the company’s artificial intelligence layer, designed to help organisations and employees automate tasks, access insights, and interact more intelligently with technology across the Seamless ecosystem.

Commenting on the transition, Dr Emmanuel Okeleji, CEO and Co-Founder of Seamless Technologies, said, “This evolution reflects a much bigger opportunity than HR technology alone. As we looked at the challenges facing businesses and workers across Africa, it became clear that access to finance sits at the centre of economic participation and productivity. Our expansion into financial services is a natural extension of our mission, and Seamless Technologies gives us the platform to solve these challenges at a much larger scale.”

Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder Deji Lana added, “The future belongs to platforms that connect people, work, and financial services in a seamless way. Through financial solutions, artificial intelligence, and our growing suite of products, we are building infrastructure that helps businesses operate more efficiently and enables workers to access more opportunities.”

Irfan Keshavjee, Chairman of the Advisory Board, said, “The transition to Seamless Technologies reflects the company’s maturity and ambition. Having built a leading position in HR technology, the business is now entering a much larger addressable market with the capabilities to create long-term value across multiple sectors.”

The transition provides a unified corporate identity designed to support product expansion and international market entry, while enabling individual product brands to maintain clear positioning and operational focus.

The move reflects the company’s long-term commitment to building technology infrastructure that supports productivity, access, and enables prosperity for working Africans.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of SeamlessHR.

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In Search of Unstoppable Africans, Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) Invites Nominations from Across the Continent

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Nominations open July 15 – September 9, 2026

We encourage people across Africa and around the world to nominate the individuals whose work deserves to be seen and recognized

NEW YORK, United States of America, July 15, 2026/APO Group/ –The search is on for “Unstoppable Africans”. The Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) (www.GABI.UNGlobalImpact.org) has opened nominations for a new community-led campaign to recognize and celebrate entrepreneurs, business leaders and changemakers whose ideas, leadership and actions are driving Africa’s economic transformation.

 

This global call to action leads into Unstoppable Africa 2026, GABI’s flagship event in New York from 20–21 September, co-convened by the United Nations and African Union and organized by the UN Global Compact.

Building on the momentum of the four previous Unstoppable Africa convenings, the campaign aims to recognize the business people whose work reflects the innovation, resilience and leadership driving Africa’s growth today.  An Unstoppable African is someone whose vision, courage, or actions are rewriting what is possible in their community, industry, country or continent. GABI is calling on people everywhere to propose business leaders who are driving meaningful change and influencing Africa’s present and future.

The campaign will spotlight changemakers across five areas: Energy, Digital Transformation, Trade, Creative Industries and Sports. The Energy category honours leaders driving Africa’s move to sustainable, reliable and affordable energy solutions. Digital Transformation celebrates those advancing Africa’s digital economy through technology, innovation and digital infrastructure. Trade recognises individuals creating economic opportunity, strengthening regional trade and helping African businesses grow. The Creative Industries celebrates those building sustainable businesses across film, music, fashion, art and design while strengthening Africa’s creative economy. Sports recognises athletes, investors, administrators and innovators using sports to create jobs, grow industries and unlock economic opportunity across the continent.

Through #UnstoppableAfricans, GABI is creating a global platform to amplify the people whose leadership and ideas are helping shape Africa’s future but whose stories are not always widely recognised.

UN Assistant Secretary-General Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, highlighted the spirit of the initiative: “With 12 of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies in Africa, the continent’s contribution to business, trade and investment continues to grow. Every day, African entrepreneurs, innovators and business leaders are shaping industries, driving markets and strengthening economies. Through the Unstoppable Africans campaign, we want to recognize these changemakers, celebrate their achievements and provide a global platform to share their stories. We encourage people across Africa and around the world to nominate the individuals whose work deserves to be seen and recognized.”

How to Nominate

  • Opening date: July 15, 2026
  • Closing date: September 9, 2026
  • Who can nominate: Anyone may nominate themselves or someone else whose ideas, leadership or work are driving business, investment, innovation or economic opportunity across one or more of the campaign’s five focus areas.
  • Complete the nomination form here: Nominate your Unstoppable African (https://apo-opa.co/4bM3CAj)

Following the close of nominations, GABI will identify five changemakers, one from each focus area, to be featured in the #UnstoppableAfricans storytelling series ahead of Unstoppable Africa 2026. Their stories will be shared with a global audience of business leaders, investors, policymakers and partners, showcasing the people helping shape Africa’s future. Under the theme: ‘Powering Business, Scaling Economies, Shaping the Future’, Unstoppable Africa, GABI’s flagship event, will take place at the Marriott Marquis in New York on Sunday and Monday September 20-21.

For a chance to attend the Unstoppable Africa 2026 event in person in September, please register here: https://events.unglobalcompact.org/unstoppableafrica26/rta (https://apo-opa.co/4gFdQ8Z).

Follow the latest developments at www.GABI.UNGlobalImpact.org and (136) Unstoppable Africa — YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/4wBAeF4)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Global Africa Business Initiative.

 

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Kora Highlights Africa’s Growing Role in Global Payments Conversations at iFX Expo International

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As demand for cross-border financial services continues to grow, Kora remains focused on helping global businesses access African markets through reliable, connected payment infrastructure that enables seamless money movement across the continent

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, July 15, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s growth potential was a recurring theme at iFX Expo International 2026, with brokers, payment service providers and fintech companies increasingly looking to the continent as a strategic expansion market. Businesses operating across multiple regions increasingly require solutions that can support local collections, cross-border payouts and settlements through a single platform.

This was a recurring theme at iFX Expo International 2026 in Cyprus, where brokers, payment service providers and fintech companies gathered to discuss the future of trading, payments and customer acquisition.

Africa remains a priority growth market

You can’t serve a growing market by making assumptions

Through conversations with industry players including B2Broker, Zotapay, Virtual Pay, Equals, Verify Africa, and Exness, Africa emerged as one of the most discussed growth markets. Participants highlighted the increasing demand for unified infrastructure that can simplify payment operations across multiple African countries.

Speaking during the panel session, “Who Will Power the Future of Global Payments’’ Kora’s Chief Financial Officer, Ayodeji Osisami highlighted why local expertise is essential to building payment infrastructure for Africa.“You can’t serve a growing market by making assumptions. You have to be on the ground, understand what customers actually need, and build infrastructure that reflects the realities of each market.”

His remarks reinforced the importance of combining local market knowledge with scalable infrastructure to help global businesses expand confidently across the continent.

Building the infrastructure behind growth

At the event, Kora shared how businesses can access Pay-ins, Payouts and settlement across multiple African markets through a single integration. These conversations reflected a growing need for payment infrastructure that can support expansion without adding operational complexity.

As demand for cross-border financial services continues to grow, Kora remains focused on helping global businesses access African markets through reliable, connected payment infrastructure that enables seamless money movement across the continent.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kora.

 

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