Ghana International Bank Plc (GHIB) has signed a Confirming Bank Agreement with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) under the Transaction Guarantee Instrument to strengthen trade finance and support cross-border commerce across Africa.
The agreement is expected to enhance GHIB’s ability to support importers, exporters and financial institutions involved in international trade while improving access to trade finance for businesses operating across the continent.
GHIB joins a select group of financial institutions approved under the African Development Bank’s eligibility framework, reinforcing its position as a key partner in facilitating trade and investment across Africa.
The partnership aims to promote intra-African trade, support private sector growth and help bridge the trade finance gap that continues to constrain economic development in many African countries.
Chief Executive Officer of GHIB, Ian Greenstreet, described the agreement as a significant milestone for the bank and its clients.
He said the partnership would strengthen the bank’s capacity to support businesses engaged in international trade and deepen its contribution to economic growth and investment across Africa.
Mr Greenstreet noted that, as a UK-regulated bank with strong African roots and global connections, GHIB is well positioned to serve as a bridge between African markets and international capital.
The African Development Bank’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation, Solomon Quaynor, said the partnership would support trade across Africa, particularly in low-income countries and transition states such as Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Guinea and Liberia.
He said GHIB’s expertise in providing confirming bank support to local financial institutions aligns with AfDB’s objective of promoting regional integration and expanding intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to him, the partnership forms part of the Bank’s broader strategy to reduce Africa’s trade finance gap by strengthening the confirming bank capacity of African financial institutions.
The agreement is expected to increase support for cross-border transactions and further strengthen GHIB’s role as a trusted banking partner linking African businesses with international markets.
GHIB has a long-standing history of supporting trade, investment and financial flows between Africa, the United Kingdom and the wider global economy.
