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Afreximbank reports strong performance for Q1 2025 in line with expectations

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Afreximbank

The Group posted strong Net Income of US$215 million, a 21% increase year-on-year from US$178 million in the prior period

CAIRO, Egypt, May 21, 2025/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (“Afreximbank” or the “Group”) (www.Afreximbank.com) has released the consolidated financial statements of the Bank and its subsidiaries for the three months ended 31 March 2025.

Financial Highlights

Afreximbank Group delivered satisfactory financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, meeting expectations with solid profitability, strengthened liquidity and a resilient capital base.

This performance provides a springboard for the Bank to continue playing its pivotal role of advancing the aspirations of Africa and the Caribbean for economic transformation and sustainable development in the months and years ahead.

Net interest income grew by 4.53% to US$411.2 million compared to prior year, driven by growth in interest earning assets, complemented by effective management of borrowing costs, helping the Bank to cushion the marginal decline in total interest income due to softening benchmark rates.

Fee income from Guarantees and Letters of Credit saw robust growth of 47% and 36% respectively, partially offsetting lower advisory fees to contribute to total unfunded income of US$26.9 million for Q1-2025. While this represented a 7.41% decrease from US$29.0 million in Q1 2024, the strong performance in Off-balance sheet assets is in line with the Bank’s strategy to grow unfunded business.

The Group posted strong Net Income of US$215 million, a 21% increase year-on-year from US$178 million in the prior period.

The Group’s total assets and contingent liabilities increased by 6.4%, reaching US$42.7 billion as of 31 March 2025, up from US$40.1 billion at FY’2024. On-balance sheet assets grew by 4.85% to US$37.0 billion, driven primarily by a 58% surge in cash balances to US$7.4 billion, while Off-balance sheet assets i.e. letters of credit and guarantee volumes increased by a 19% to reach US$5.7 billion at the end of Q1-2025.

Net loans and advances closed Q1-2025 at US$27.8 billion, down from the FY2024 closing position reflecting early repayments from certain customers on account of improved foreign currency balances position of some sovereign borrowers. Importantly, the Loan Asset Quality remained strong, with the Non-Performing Loans (NPL) ratio at 2.44%, a modest increase from 2.33% at FY’2024 – well below the Bank’s strategic NPL ceiling of 4%.

Driven by inflationary pressures and growing personnel costs, operating expenses rose by 23% to reach US$75.4 million by 31 March 2025. Despite this, Afreximbank Group maintained a healthy Cost-to-Income Ratio of 16%, below its strategic range of 17-30%.

Afreximbank’s liquidity profile strengthened considerably, with liquid assets now comprising 20% of total assets, up from 13% at the close of FY’2024. This higher liquidity position was as a result of successful fund-raising, coupled with loan repayments received during the quarter.

Shareholders’ funds increased by 3.4%, reaching US$7.5 billion, driven by strong internally generated capital of US$215.4 million in addition to new equity investments under the second General Capital Increase (GCI II) programme.

Operating Highlights

In line with the Afreximbank strategic objective of driving Industrialisation and export development, the Bank and the Government of Kenya ratified a number of initiatives designed to support the development Industrial Parks (IPs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Kenya under the US$3 billion Kenya country programme. These projects which include Dongo Kundu Industrial Park in Mombasa and Naivasha SEZ II in Mai Mahiu, are key components of Kenya’s Vision 2030 plan to boost export manufacturing and industrialisation. Afreximbank’s support for these initiatives will specifically enhance infrastructure development, attract investment, and strategically position Kenya as a key hub for African and global commerce.

The rollout of the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System (PAPSS) continues to gain momentum with KCB Group in Kenya and Bank of Kigali in Rwanda launching the platform, becoming the first banks in their respective countries to offer seamless, instant, and affordable cross-border payments in local currencies across Africa.

Aligned with its mandate to promote Global Africa following the recognition of the African Diaspora as the 6th region of Africa, the Bank further cemented its expansion and presence in the Caribbean with the historic groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the construction of the first ever Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) outside of Africa in Bridgetown, Barbados. AATC Barbados will also host its regional office. The Barbados AATC is an authentic icon of trade embodying the ambition, resilience, and influence of leading commercial cities in Africa and the Caribbean that serve as dynamic focal points for commerce, fostering regional and global trade connections, and is expected to enhance intra-and extra-African trade, with a focus on countries of the Global South.

Mr. Denys Denya, Afreximbank’s Senior Executive Vice President, commented:

“Our QI 2025 results, which were in line with expectations, reflected a strong and resilient financial performance, notwithstanding continued macroeconomic challenges. With solid profitability growth, a strengthened liquidity position, and a well-capitalised balance sheet, the Group is firmly positioned to continue playing a pivotal role in advancing the aspirations of Africa and the Caribbean for economic transformation and sustainable development.”

Highlights of the results for the Group are shown below:

Income statement Financial Metrics

Q1-2025

Q1-2024

Gross Income (US$ million)

784.9

753.8

Operating Income (US$ million)

474.2

423.5

Net Income (US$ million)

215.4

178.7

Return on average assets (ROAA)

            2.38%

2.19%

Return on average equity (ROAE)

12%

12%

Cost-to-income ratio

16%

15%

 

Balance sheet financial metrics

Q1-2025

FY-2024

Total Assets (US$ billion)

37.0

35.3

Total Liabilities (US$ billion)

29.5

28.1

Shareholders’ Funds (US$ billion)

7.5

7.2

Net asset value per share (US$)

71,671

69,695

Non-performing loans ratio (NPL)

2.44%

2.33%

Cash/Total assets

20%

13%

Capital Adequacy ratio (Basel II)

26%

24%

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank

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Namibia’s Orange Basin Moves Toward First Oil at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026

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African Energy Chamber

The “Invest in Namibia: Transforming Discoveries into Production” session will examine how Namibia can turn its offshore oil boom into a broader industrial opportunity through local suppliers, skills development, technology transfer and domestic investment

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –After a series of major offshore discoveries transformed Namibia into one of the world’s most closely watched exploration frontiers, attention is shifting from proving resources to building the infrastructure, partnerships and industrial capabilities needed to bring them into production. At African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, the session “Invest in Namibia: Transforming Discoveries into Production. Orange Basin’s Path to First Oil” will examine how the country can capture value beyond the development of individual oil fields and use the emerging petroleum sector as a catalyst for wider economic growth.





 

TotalEnergies’ Venus discovery is technically ready to move toward a Final Investment Decision, with negotiations on fiscal terms still underway. The project’s development concept targets around 150,000 barrels per day at peak production, with first oil potentially around 2030. FEED has been completed and major contractors selected, bringing Namibia’s first potential deepwater oil development closer to execution.

The real measure of Namibia’s oil opportunity will not simply be how many barrels it produces, but how much economic value those barrels create at home

Meanwhile, the Orange Basin continues to attract major international players. TotalEnergies and Galp strengthened their positions across the Venus and Mopane discoveries in 2025, with TotalEnergies becoming operator of Mopane and Galp taking a participating interest in Venus. In August 2026, Equinor agreed to acquire a 17.4% stake in Chevron’s PEL 90, marking its first upstream entry into a new country since 2017. The block is expected to see another exploration well before the end of the year.

The scale of investment now being contemplated makes the question of local economic participation increasingly urgent. Namibia’s draft Local Content Policy identifies the development of national capabilities, employment, local procurement and stronger domestic value chains as central to ensuring that petroleum resources generate benefits beyond government revenues. The government has also highlighted technical training and partnerships with universities and industry as priorities for preparing Namibians for the emerging oil and gas sector.

For Namibia, this means moving beyond an export-led model in which capital, equipment and specialist expertise flow in and crude flows out. Developing local suppliers, financing Namibian businesses, building research and training hubs and creating opportunities for joint ventures could help establish capabilities that extend well beyond the life of individual oil projects. The opportunity spans engineering and fabrication, logistics, marine services, environmental management, digital technologies and other areas of the petroleum supply chain.

“The real measure of Namibia’s oil opportunity will not simply be how many barrels it produces, but how much economic value those barrels create at home,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Namibia has a chance to build a competitive African energy industry around its discoveries – one that creates jobs, develops local companies, transfers technology and gives Namibians a meaningful stake in the country’s energy future.”

The session will look beyond first oil itself to the ecosystem required to sustain production and translate upstream investment into long-term industrial development. With Venus, Mopane and further Orange Basin exploration moving toward development, Namibia has an opportunity to establish the commercial partnerships, financing structures and technical capabilities needed to ensure its petroleum boom becomes an economy-wide growth story.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.




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BUTEC, secures major Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for Casablanca Waste-to-Energy Project

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BUTEC

Serving a population of more than 4.2 million people across Greater Casablanca, this project represents a significant step in the region’s transition towards a more sustainable and circular approach to waste management

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, August 28, 2026/APO Group/ –The consortium comprising Nareva, Kanadevia Inova and Itochu Corporation, through its 33.5-year concession agreement with the Municipality of Casablanca, has entrusted BUTEC (www.BUTEC.com) with a major Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for Casablanca’s landmark Waste-to-Energy (WtE) project, leveraging BUTEC’s multidisciplinary engineering and contracting capabilities for one of Morocco’s most significant waste management and energy recovery developments.

 

For the delivery of this landmark project, BUTEC has joined forces with the Switzerland-based Kanadevia Inova, a global leader in Waste-to-Energy and renewable gas solutions.

Located northwest of the Mediouna landfill in the Casablanca-Settat region of the Kingdom of Morocco, this ultra-large waste incineration facility will process approximately 1.5 million tonnes of non-recyclable waste annually, significantly reducing reliance on landfill.

By diverting the waste from landfill and converting it into energy, this plant is expected to prevent up to 1.0 tonne of CO₂-equivalent emissions per tonne of waste while generating 126 MWe of baseload electricity.

BUTEC is establishing itself as the generalist EPC contractor of choice in this strategic sector

Serving a population of more than 4.2 million people across Greater Casablanca, this project represents a significant step in the region’s transition towards a more sustainable and circular approach to waste management, while supporting Morocco’s broader energy transition and long-term decarbonization ambitions.

BUTEC’s Scope of Work:

While Kanadevia Inova is responsible for the technology and the process part of the EPC works, as well as operations support, long-term maintenance, and financing of the facility, BUTEC will be responsible for civil works for the whole facility and for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of Non-Process buildings, facilities, and associated works, including all civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works, as well as the external infrastructure works required for the Project.

Commenting on the significance of the award, Raymond Daou (SVP Strategy & Business Development) stated:

“Building on our affiliates’ long-standing presence in Morocco, where BUTEC has established itself as one of the country’s leading players in Electromechanical Solutions, the Group is reinforcing, through this landmark contract, its contribution to the Kingdom’s sustainable development ambitions.

Furthermore, with three consecutive large-scale Waste-to-Energy projects across the geographies in which it operates, BUTEC is establishing itself as the generalist EPC contractor of choice in this strategic sector. This latest award confirms once again our ability to combine multidisciplinary engineering expertise, strong local execution capabilities and close cooperation with world-leading process technology partners to deliver complex energy and environmental facilities.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of BUTEC Group.

 

 




 

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Asantehene opens Africa Business Investment Summit in Washington, DC with a $500m Investment Target in Africa

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Asantehene

The opening ceremony, themed “The Asante Crown Meets the Diaspora,” convened more than 400 registered delegates, including senior government officials, C-suite executives, and US-based institutional investors

 




 

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, August 28, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • Asantehene presented a royal vision for Africa’s economic renaissance
  • Day 1 proceeded under the theme – The Vision Day: Unlocking Africa’s Century, A Diaspora Mandate”
  • Fireside chat with Boris Kodjoe on The Diaspora Return

The Africa Business Investment Summit 2026 opened this morning at the MGM National Harbor, in Washington D.C. Metro, with a royal keynote by the Summit’s Patron, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, as the Millennium Excellence Week hosts its first event outside of Ghana.

The opening ceremony, themed “The Asante Crown Meets the Diaspora,” convened more than 400 registered delegates, including senior government officials, C-suite executives, and US-based institutional investors. They were drawn together under a single mandate: to facilitate $500 million in structured capital commitments between African deal originators and US institutional capital during the two-day summit.

Delivering his keynote address, His Majesty articulated a vision of African economic sovereignty where the diaspora serves as architects of continental development. Speaking with characteristic authority, His Majesty called on African governments, diaspora communities, and international institutional partners to align capital, policy frameworks, and political will behind a shared agenda for the continent’s economic future.

In his address, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene said: “For too long, Africa has been described mainly in terms of its deficiencies. We have heard of the roads not built, the electricity not generated, the jobs not created, the capital not available, and the institutions not strong enough,”

For too long, Africa has been described mainly in terms of its deficiencies

Speaking further he noted that “Africa must no longer be regarded merely as a continent of future potential. Africa is already becoming a central part of the future global economy, and those who understand this early will position themselves advantageously.”

Honorable Sampson Ahi, Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, who represented the President of the Republic of Ghana, detailed macroeconomic indicators signalling domestic economic recovery and industrial policy priorities: “ Our ambition is transformation. We want an economy that moves beyond exporting raw materials to manufacturing finished products, creating value, jobs, and shared prosperity. We want capital that drives productivity, entrepreneurship, and innovation. This is the philosophy behind the twenty-four-hour economy program, which is a commitment stimulating round-the-clock production, improving productivity, and developing a competitive and export-oriented economy.”

The first day of the summit concluded under the theme “The Vision Day: Unlocking Africa’s Century, A Diaspora Mandate”, exploring through a series of plenary sessions the most pressing deal themes in US–Africa investment today.

Programme spotlights included: The Diaspora Return, a fireside chat with Boris Kodjoe, Beyond Remittances: Building Africa’s Sixth Region, diaspora capital beyond transfers, The New Gold Rush: Africa’s Seat at America’s Critical Minerals Table,  Ghana’s Gold Moment: From the Gold Coast to Global Market Power, The Diaspora Dollar: Fintech and the Next Remittance Corridor and Powering the Continent: Energy, Infrastructure and the US–Africa Partnership

The second and final day of the event will continue to explore investment opportunities across the continent through sector spotlights on the Creative Economy, Health & Pharma, Technology, and Digital Financial Services.

Following these plenaries, the event will conclude with bilateral investment meetings that will translate the vision outlined in the plenary hall into concrete investment decisions.

Review Day 1 Plenary Sessions: https://apo-opa.co/4cPkRRP

Watch Day 2 Live Stream: https://apo-opa.co/4gYIxFP

  • Day 2 to explore investment opportunities and conclude with bilateral investment meetings

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Millennium Excellence Foundation.

 

 




 

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