Afreximbank commits $75 million for Nigerian SMEs

The African Export-Import Bank has committed $75 million to the Development Bank of Nigeria to expand financing for eligible Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises, including businesses in the creative and export-oriented sectors. The institutions announced the facility during the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend 2026 in Lagos, held November 5 to 8.

DBN will channel the financing through participating financial institutions. The facility is intended to support working capital, asset purchases, pre-export and post-export activities, and supply-chain needs. Businesses in fashion, film, music, design and other creative industries are among the intended beneficiaries.

Afreximbank and DBN said the arrangement will combine financing with capacity-building and export-readiness support. The institutions plan to strengthen participating lenders’ ability to assess and support export-oriented businesses, while helping SMEs prepare for regional and international markets.

The banks also said businesses will have access to Afreximbank trade platforms and market-access initiatives. The platforms named include MANSA, TRADAR, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System and the African Trade...