African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has officially launched the inaugural cohort of its “Afreximbank Accelerator Programme,” bringing together eight high-potential startups from across Africa and the diaspora for an intensive kick-off week in Cairo from March 23-27, 2026. Selected from over 1,600 applications, the cohort represents some of the most promising ventures building digital infrastructure for intra-African trade. These startups operate across sectors including cross-border payments, digital logistics, agri-export platforms, AI-powered enterprise solutions, supply chain finance, and diaspora investment mobilization.
Participating startups include Fincart.io of Egypt; OnePort 365, operating in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya; Timon, active in 15 African countries; Zowasel in Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania; Gebeya, an Ethiopian pan-African venture; Fluna, operating across 10 countries; Capsa Technologies of Nigeria; and Daba Finance, covering Francophone Africa. Under the programme, startups will receive investment of up to US$250,000, subject to due diligence and investment criteria, alongside mentorship, market access, and strategic partnerships to accelerate expansion across the continent.
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The Cairo kick-off week at Afreximbank’s headquarters featured high-level engagements with the Bank’s leadership, industry experts, mentors, and ecosystem partners. It concluded with a Social Mixer at the Grand Egyptian Museum, symbolically linking Africa’s rich heritage with its rapidly evolving innovation future.
Speaking during the event, Afreximbank Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank, Haytham Elmaayergi, highlighted the importance of execution in advancing African trade: “Trade does not happen within the pages of policy documents. Trade happens through businesses. It happens through entrepreneurs. It happens through builders. This cohort is building the digital rails that will define how Africa trades in the 21st century.” He added, “This Accelerator Programme is part of a broader ambition: an Africa where startups scale continent-wide, businesses trade seamlessly across borders, and the continent operates as a truly integrated economic force. Afreximbank is proud to be a partner, enabler, and committed stakeholder in the success of the next generation of African trade champions.”
The programme offers startups direct access to Afreximbank’s pan-African network of governments, financial institutions, corporates, and trade partners, as well as market access and deal facilitation opportunities across key African trade corridors. Startups also receive regulatory guidance, integration pathways into the Bank’s digital trade ecosystem, including the Africa Trade Gateway (ATG) and the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System (PAPSS), and support navigating licensing, compliance, and market entry across multiple jurisdictions.
The initiative positions Afreximbank as a strategic enabler of cross-border trade and continental scale, helping startups develop the infrastructure underpinning the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
Collectively, the eight startups operate across more than 15 African countries, highlighting the scale and potential of African innovation. Fluna has facilitated more than US$50 million in trade across 10 countries; Capsa has processed over NGN70 billion in supply chain finance; OnePort 365 connects the Nigeria-Ghana-Kenya trade corridors; Timon supports payments in 15 countries with plans to expand to 40; and Zowasel has connected more than 4,000 verified cooperatives and agribusinesses.
Together, these ventures are building the digital rails for intra-African trade, accelerating AfCFTA implementation and unlocking new pathways for economic integration across the continent and the wider Global Africa network.