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Nigeria urged to champion regional transit guarantee scheme in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

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Under the Afreximbank African Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme, a single transit bond is issued to secure customs duties, significantly reducing bureaucratic hurdles and facilitating smoother cross-border trade

ABUJA, Nigeria, November 24, 2025/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has urged Nigeria to champion the implementation of an effective regional transit guarantee scheme under the new transit regulation endorsed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Delivering a keynote address at the inaugural session of the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (Customs PACT) held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 17 to 19 November, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, highlighted the challenges imposed by the current interstate road transit regime in the region. Key among them is the lack of a regional transit guarantee, leading to overdependence on physical escort of goods in transit by customs which drives up costs and results in inefficiencies.

Mrs. Awani said that Afreximbank was keen on working with Nigeria, ECOWAS and the ECOWAS Bank of Investment and Development to support the region to implement an effective regional transit guarantee system, which would complement the efforts of national insurers and chambers of commerce, and empower them to increase their capacity.

She said the Bank is currently implementing a US$1-billion transit guarantee scheme to facilitate the movement of goods across Africa by addressing persistent transit challenges and responding to the concerns of customs authorities about the risk of goods entering markets illegally, and about potential loss of customs duties and taxes.

Mrs. Awani explained that, under the Afreximbank African Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme, a single transit bond is issued to secure customs duties, significantly reducing bureaucratic hurdles and facilitating smoother cross-border trade, with the elimination of the need for multiple transit bonds enhancing trade efficiency and substantially lowering business costs.

She added that the scheme was already being implemented in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the East African Community (COMESA) under a US$300-million facility with ZEP RE (PTA Reinsurance Company), a reinsurer based in Nairobi, Kenya.  Mrs Awani highlighted that the scheme would save at least US$300 million annually in transit costs when fully implemented at a continental level.

She said that Afreximbank is open to working with Nigeria and other African countries to establish one-stop-border-posts and related infrastructure, building on its experience at the Beitbridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The modernisation of that border post, implemented with support of Afreximbank and other partners, resulted in clearance time at the post dropping from 3-5 days to a maximum of 3 – 5 hours.

Afreximbank, Mrs. Awani told delegates present, supported the event out of the realisation that unresolved soft infrastructure issues, particularly in customs and trade facilitation, would impede free movement of goods under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) if not addressed. According to Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), she explained, 75 per cent of delays in the movement of goods is due to trade facilitation issues with just 25 per cent attributed to infrastructure gaps.

She also highlighted the challenge posed by lack of harmonised systems and their interoperability and by national customs systems that do not communicate with each other.

H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria, sent a message of endorsement to the Customs PACT, saying that it aligned perfectly with the Nigerian government’s commitment to fostering regional integration, enhancing trade facilitation and positioning Nigeria and Africa as competitive players in the global economy.

The Customs PACT roundtable was organized to revolutionise customs and business cooperation, promote intra-African trade and position Africa as a formidable force in global trade. It was organised by the Nigeria Customs Service, in collaboration with Afreximbank, the AfCFTA Secretariat and supported by the World Customs Organization.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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