The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has dedicated a $75 million financing facility to the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) to develop entry to finance for Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), together with companies within the inventive financial system.
The dedication was introduced on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, following the ceremonial signing of an settlement between each establishments on the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) 2026 in Lagos.
Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Kanayo Awani, and DBN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Tony Okpanachi, led the signing on behalf of their respective establishments.
Afreximbank targets SME financing, export development
DBN will channel the power via its taking part monetary establishments (PFIs) to help eligible companies with working capital, asset acquisition, pre-export and post-export financing, and provide chain actions.
Businesses working in vogue, movie, music, design and different inventive industries are among the many meant beneficiaries, though the power just isn’t restricted to the inventive sector.
The financing is a part of Afreximbank’s Export SME Development programme, which mixes funding with capacity-building and export-readiness help to assist companies strengthen their operations and entry regional and worldwide markets.
- Afreximbank and DBN can even collectively develop a capacity-building programme to enhance the flexibility of taking part monetary establishments to help export-oriented SMEs.
- In addition, beneficiaries could have entry to Afreximbank’s commerce platforms, together with MANSA, TRADAR, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and the Africa Trade Exchange (ATEX).
The partnership can even help market entry via the Africa Buyer Programme, the African Trade and Distribution Company (ATDC) and the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF).
Speaking on the partnership, Awani mentioned the association goes past offering capital, combining financing with capability constructing, export-readiness help and entry to markets.
- “Our partnership with DBN goes beyond providing capital. We are taking an integrated approach that combines finance with capacity building, export-readiness support and access to markets. Our objective is to help Nigerian SMEs build productive capacity, strengthen their competitiveness and make the transition from promising local businesses to sustainable exporters,” she mentioned.
DBN highlights funding constraints dealing with MSMEs
Okpanachi described the partnership as an vital step in DBN’s efforts to develop entry to finance for Nigerian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
- “The US$75 million facility will provide much-needed financing through our Participating Financial Institutions, while creating greater opportunities for businesses, particularly those in the creative and export-oriented sectors, to strengthen their productive capacity and access new markets,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the capacity-building and market-access parts have been notably vital, as they’d assist monetary establishments help export-ready companies and join Nigerian enterprises to wider African and worldwide markets.
According to him, the association would assist MSMEs transfer from native companies to aggressive members in regional and international worth chains, consistent with DBN’s mandate to tackle financing constraints and help inclusive financial development.
More on SME financing in Nigeria
The newest financing dedication comes amid DBN’s increasing interventions in Nigeria’s MSME sector.
In June 2026, Nairametrics reported that the bank had disbursed more than N1 trillion to over one million MSMEs since commencing operations, supporting the creation of greater than 1.6 million jobs. The financial institution additionally operates via a community of 84 taking part monetary establishments.
Earlier, in May 2026, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) approved a $61 million financing package for DBN to expand access to affordable credit for women-owned and women-led MSMEs.
More than 95% of the bundle was particularly focused at companies owned or led by girls.
