Afreximbank backs Zimbabwe SMEs with $15m financing
Africa Business Communities
Afreximbank has extended a USD 15 million SME Finance Facility to Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited to support small and medium enterprises operating across export value chains in Zimbabwe. The funding will provide working capital and capital expenditure financing to businesses in sectors including agribusiness, manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, technology, and the creative economy.
The facility forms part of Afreximbank’s Export SME Development Programme (ESDP) and builds on a partnership between the two institutions that began in 2018. The programme aims to improve SME access to finance, strengthen export value chains, and support inclusive economic growth in Zimbabwe.
Focus on export-driven sectors
The financing is targeted at SMEs that contribute significantly to Zimbabwe’s economy but often struggle to access conventional lending. Beneficiaries will include businesses involved in export-oriented activities across several sectors, including manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and agribusiness.
Under the structure of the facility, Afreximbank will channel development finance through Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited, which will act as the local financial intermediary. Around 43.75 percent of the proceeds will support intra-African trade activities, while 18 percent will be allocated to manufacturing projects.
Oluranti Doherty, Managing Director for Export Development at Afreximbank: “In Zimbabwe and across the continent, Afreximbank remains firmly committed to supporting SMEs as engines of export growth, economic resilience, and long-term development. This facility with exemplifies the kind of high-additionality, high-impact intervention that the ESDP was designed to deliver, addressing market failures that commercial finance alone cannot resolve, and building the productive capacity of enterprises that are central to Africa’s trade transformation. It therefore goes beyond providing credit; it is a structured commitment to building the capacity of enterprises that can drive Zimbabwe’s participation in intra-African trade and regional value chains. Through the ESDP, we are ensuring that each beneficiary SME is not only funded but equipped, connected, and positioned to grow sustainably.”
Capacity-building support for SMEs
Alongside financing, Afreximbank will provide non-financial support to SME borrowers through training and advisory services. The programme will cover areas including operations management, financial management, export readiness, marketing, loan management, and digitalisation.
The initiative is designed to improve the sustainability of SMEs, strengthen credit quality, and help businesses participate more effectively in regional and continental trade value chains.
For Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited, the facility increases its ability to support SMEs through financing and advisory services tailored to export-focused businesses.
Moses Kurenjekwa, Managing Director of Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited: “Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited is proud to partner with Afreximbank on this facility, which speaks directly to our commitment to unlocking the potential of Zimbabwe’s SME sector. Small businesses are the engine of our economy, and access to appropriate, export-linked financing is what enables them to grow, create jobs, and compete regionally. This collaboration brings together Afreximbank’s development finance mandate and our on-the-ground reach to deliver a solution that is both impactful and scalable. We look forward to walking this journey with Zimbabwe’s SMEs as they integrate into regional and continental trade value chains.”
Support for regional trade integration
The ESDP combines financing, business support, and market access initiatives to help SMEs develop export capabilities. Through partnerships with local financial institutions such as Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited, Afreximbank aims to ensure that SMEs can access both capital and operational support.
The facility also comes as Zimbabwe’s economy is forecast to grow by 6 percent in 2025, supported by stronger agricultural output and rising gold prices. SMEs contribute more than 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s GDP and account for more than 70 percent of employment, although many continue to face challenges accessing long-term export financing.
Zimbabwe’s position along regional trade corridors, including the North-South Corridor linking Dar es Salaam and Durban, and the Beira Corridor connecting landlocked economies to Indian Ocean ports, is expected to support the growth of export-focused SMEs participating in regional trade.
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المصدر: NewZimbabwe