Cairo, Egypt, 23 April 2026: – Recognising the unique position of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a “solution country” owing to its vast endowment of critical minerals essential for the global energy transition and its stewardship of the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest as one of the planet’s most important carbon sinks, the Central Africa Regional Office of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank or the Bank) held a Forum in the country from 21 April, 2026 focusing on the mining value chain.
The Forum was held under the theme “Financing the DRC Mining Value Chain: Unlocking Growth through Structured Trade and Investment Solutions,” the event convened key stakeholders across the DRC’s mining sector. It provided a strategic platform for engagement and dialogue on how the Bank can effectively support participants along the mining value chain, including through tailored financial and investment solutions.
Commenting on the roadshow, Mr. Ibrahim Bagarama, Afreximbank’s Regional Chief Operating Officer for Central Africa, said: “Our engagements in Lualaba provided firsthand insight into the operational realities, financing needs and growth ambitions of mining companies, subcontractors, and stakeholders across the energy and logistics value chains. These discussions also gave us the opportunity to present Afreximbank’s suite of tailored financial solutions designed to support their growth and development.”
Noting that the DRC is projected to become Sub-Saharan Africa’s fifth-largest economy in 2026, with an estimated GDP of approximately USD. 123 billion. This growth is largely driven by strong expansion in the mining sector—particularly in cobalt and copper—alongside rising global investment in battery metals, positioning the DRC ahead of major economies like Ethiopia. The Regional Office added that the Forum allowed Afreximbank to present tailored financing and risk mitigation solutions to the attendees and to explore bankable opportunities across the mining value chain.
It further allowed the Bank to showcase its suite of financial products and solutions tailored for the mining sector, including Project Preparation Facility, a catalytic instrument that supports the early-stage development of high-impact projects; and Project Asset Based Finance offerings, which provides long-term capital to scale transformative investments across key sectors.
Also showcased was the Bank’s Structured Trade Finance solution, including export pre-financing, factoring, and targeted support for small and medium-sized enterprises, which enable improved liquidity, trade expansion and sustainable business growth across sectors.
The event also highlighted co-financing and guarantees structures through which Afreximbank intends to collaborate with local banks, providing guarantees that strengthen their lending capacity, reduce risk exposure, and unlock greater financing for priority sectors.
About Afreximbank
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2025, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$48.5 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$8.4 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), and. Moody’s (Baa2). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
For more information, visit: www.afreximbank.com
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Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com