By Destiny Obinna
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and Access Holdings Plc have entered into a strategic partnership to expand trade finance, strengthen African businesses and improve access to regional and international markets.
The agreement is expected to boost Access Group’s capacity to finance businesses, facilitate cross-border transactions and support sustainable economic growth across its markets.
Signed on the sidelines of the Africa Financial Industry Summit (AFIS) 2026 in Luanda, Angola, on November 4, the partnership also forms part of Access Holdings’ broader capital-raising programme aimed at attracting development finance institutions and other long-term investors to support its expansion.
The agreement was signed by Chairman of Access Holdings, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; IFC Regional Vice President for Africa, Ethiopis Tafara; and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Roosevelt Ogbonna.
Under the arrangement, IFC’s investment is expected to strengthen the Group’s capital base, providing additional capacity to expand financing for businesses and trade activities across Africa.
Speaking on the partnership, Aig-Imoukhuede described the transaction as a strong endorsement of Access Group’s growth strategy and its role in financing Africa’s economic development.
He said: “Our partnership with IFC has always been anchored on a shared belief that strong African financial institutions are essential to Africa’s growth. This investment is a vote of confidence in the institution we have built and, in the direction, we are taking it.”
He noted that having established a significant presence across African markets, the Group was now focused on translating its scale into greater economic value for businesses, communities and other stakeholders.
“Having built scale across Africa, our task now is to turn that scale into value: for the businesses we finance, the trade we facilitate and the communities we serve,” he stated.
According to him, strengthening the Group’s capital base would deepen its capacity to connect African businesses with international markets and mobilise additional trade finance and investment.
“Strengthening Access Group’s capital base deepens its role as a bridge between Africa and global markets, enabling us to mobilise more trade finance and investment for African enterprises,” Aig-Imoukhuede added.
He described the agreement as an important milestone in the Group’s efforts to attract long-term capital and pursue disciplined and sustainable growth.
Also speaking, Tafara said expanding access to trade finance remained critical to helping African businesses penetrate new markets, increase commercial activities and create employment opportunities.
He explained that the partnership aligned with the World Bank Group’s broader commitment to mobilising private capital, strengthening financial markets and supporting private sector-led economic growth across the continent.
“Across the World Bank Group, we are working to mobilise private capital, strengthen financial markets and create the conditions for private sector-led growth,” Tafara said.
He added: “This partnership with Access Group will help channel more financing to businesses across the continent and translate Africa’s entrepreneurial potential into greater economic opportunity.”
For IFC, the partnership reinforces its strategy of working with financial institutions to expand access to finance, strengthen financial markets and support businesses seeking to scale their operations, enter new markets and generate employment.
The development comes as African economies seek stronger financial partnerships and improved access to capital to support intra-African trade, industrial development and participation in global commerce.
By strengthening the financing capacity of African financial institutions, the IFC-Access Holdings partnership is expected to support businesses requiring funding to expand operations, navigate cross-border transactions and take advantage of emerging opportunities in regional and international markets.
