Afreximbank Backs ARISE IIP With USD 450 M To Power Africa’s Industrial Future

In a significant boost to the continent’s industrialization drive, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the continent’s premier trade finance institution, has extended a USD 450 M global credit facility to ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP), a pan-African developer and operator of industrial parks.

The overarching agenda of the investment is to drive industrialization across the continent by supporting ARISE IIP in its aims to expand existing industrial parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) across multiple African nations, while also providing crucial trade finance support to businesses operating within the ARISE IIP ecosystem.

This funding is part of a larger USD 800 M commitment proposed by Afreximbank to support the ARISE IIP effort in accelerating Africa’s industrialization.

Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President of Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, emphasized this vision at the signing ceremony. “Afreximbank strongly believes that IPs and SEZs are veritable tools that Africa can deploy to fast-track industrial infrastructure development and to promote intra-African trade and export development.“

Africa’s industrial infrastructure gap, estimated at USD 100 B annually, has long been a barrier to economic progress. Strategic partnerships like this one are essential in closing that gap and accelerating industrialization Arvind Arora, Chief Treasury Officer at ARISE IIP, emphasized in a statement.

In his words, “The USD 450 M facility represents a major step forward in supporting Africa’s industrialisation efforts. This financing covers critical working capital and capital expenditure needs across various countries, addressing the diverse requirements for industrial development. Africa’s infrastructure investment gap, currently exceeding USD 100 B annually, significantly impacts the continent’s living conditions and its global competitiveness. At ARISE IIP, we are committed to working with strategic partners around the world to bridge this gap and accelerate industrialisation across the continent.” 

Of the total amount of USD 450 M, ARISE IIP will deploy USD 300 M to support the operations of existing industrial parks in Benin, Togo, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, and Rwanda, while also financing the development of new parks in the DRC, Kenya, Chad, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Another USD 150 M will be deployed in Malawi, where it will help establish an industrial park in Lilongwe and provide trade finance support for the activities of its export trading company under Afreximbank’s Export Agriculture for Food Security initiative, a program designed to strengthen Africa’s agricultural exports and enhance food security.

But this deal is about more than just infrastructure—it’s about unlocking Africa’s economic potential. Industrial parks and SEZs are proven models for driving manufacturing, trade, and job creation, and this funding ensures that more African nations can harness their power.

The impact of this financing is expected to be transformational. Over the next five years, ARISE IIP anticipates attracting 230 new industrial tenants, generating USD 1.7 B in investment, and driving USD 5 B in exports from the new and expanded industrial parks. The benefits will also extend to local businesses, with USD 3.4 B worth of domestically sourced goods and services feeding into these supply chains.

The job creation potential is equally significant. The industrial parks and SEZs are expected to generate 32,000 direct jobs and 138,000 indirect jobs, providing new opportunities for thousands of African workers. More importantly, these jobs will be in high-value industries, helping to diversify African economies and reduce dependence on raw material exports.

The partnership between Afreximbank and ARISE IIP builds on previous successful collaborations. Their partnership has already led to ambitious projects like the USD 5 B Africa Textile Renaissance Plan, aimed at transforming Africa’s cotton industry by creating 500,000 metric tons of processing capacity and generating half a million jobs. Recently, Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) also invested USD 300 M in ARISE IIP, reinforcing its long-term confidence in the company’s industrialization strategy.

With this latest funding, ARISE IIP is well-positioned to reshape Africa’s industrial landscape. As more countries embrace the Special Economic Zone model and prioritize value-added manufacturing, the continent is shifting from being a raw materials exporter to a global production hub, a transformation that could redefine Africa’s place in the global economy.