The EBRD has provided a $100 million (€85 million) trade finance facility to Access Bank, Nigeria’s largest commercial lender by customer base. The financing is expected to strengthen import and export activities, deepen correspondent banking relationships, and enhance regional and international trade links.
According to a statement from the EBRD, the facility is being extended under its Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP) and will support Access Bank’s trade finance operations. The programme is designed to help Nigerian businesses gain better access to international markets by mitigating risks associated with cross-border trade.
Under the arrangement, the trade finance limit will be deployed to issue guarantees in favour of foreign commercial banks, as well as provide cash advances to fund trade-related loans to local companies. These include financing for pre-export, post-import, and local distribution activities. The facility is also expected to promote intra-regional trade, particularly across African markets.
In addition to funding, the partnership includes a comprehensive technical cooperation package financed by the EBRD. This will provide Access Bank with regular training sessions, workshops, e-learning programmes, and broader capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening its trade finance expertise and operational efficiency.
Commenting on the agreement, Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the EBRD, described the transaction as a milestone for the institution’s expansion into Nigeria.
“We are delighted to sign our first agreement in Nigeria and partner with Access Bank. We remain committed to supporting the development of local financial institutions and fostering a business environment that drives sustainable private-sector growth and trade finance in Nigeria,” she said.
Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director of Access Bank, said the partnership underscores the bank’s role in shaping Africa’s trade ecosystem.
“We are pleased to be the first financial institution in Nigeria to partner with the EBRD. This collaboration represents a significant step in strengthening Africa’s trade ecosystem and aligns with our commitment to providing robust financial solutions that empower businesses, deepen regional trade and support sustainable economic growth,” Ogbonna said.
He added that the bank looks forward to leveraging the partnership to enhance its trade finance capabilities and deliver greater value to customers and stakeholders.
Access Bank operates a network of more than 700 branches and service outlets, serving about 60 million customers across 24 markets on three continents. The bank is a subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc, Nigeria’s largest listed financial holding company by assets.
The transaction follows a strategic expansion by the EBRD into new regions. At its 2023 Annual Meeting in Samarkand, the EBRD’s Board of Governors approved amendments to the bank’s founding agreement, allowing it to commence operations in sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq.
The EBRD officially began operating in Nigeria in September 2025, with a mandate focused on unlocking access to finance through the private sector, supporting local enterprises, and fostering sustainable, long-term economic growth as part of Nigeria’s broader economic transformation agenda.