GCB Bank PLC is strengthening its role in cross-border trade facilitation, working with Afreximbank, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), and the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) to support Ghanaian exporters under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

At the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025) in Algiers, 20 Heads of State, 132 countries, and thousands of businesses participated, with trade and investment deals worth $48.3 billion announced. Despite the scale of the fair, Afreximbank President Prof. Benedict Oramah noted the limited presence of African commercial banks and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), urging greater involvement in financing intra-African trade.

GCB Bank, Ghana’s largest indigenous lender, has positioned itself to respond to that call. The bank was the first in Africa to complete a transaction on the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which has since been integrated into its mobile banking platform to simplify cross-border payments.

According to Aurelia Baaba Ofori Odame, Head of GCB’s SOE and Afro-Asia Unit, the bank is focusing on giving exporters access to finance, trade guarantees, factoring, value chain financing, and advisory support. A dedicated AfCFTA Export Desk is also being developed in collaboration with Afreximbank, GEPA, and NEXIM to help businesses navigate new markets.

At the fair, Nigeria recorded the highest deal volumes, highlighting the urgency for Ghanaian exporters to scale up. With AfCFTA creating a potential market of 1.4 billion people, analysts say Ghanaian businesses will require strong institutional and financial backing to remain competitive.

GCB Bank has the country’s widest branch network and is expanding its digital services to improve access for exporters and SMEs.