Ghana International Bank Plc (GHIB) and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) have signed a Confirming Bank Agreement under the AfDB’s Transaction Guarantee Instrument, aimed at expanding trade finance support across Africa.

The partnership is expected to strengthen GHIB’s ability to support importers, exporters and financial institutions involved in cross-border trade, while helping businesses access international markets and strengthen supply chains.

GHIB said the agreement reinforces its commitment to providing trade finance solutions that promote investment and sustainable economic growth across the continent.

The UK-regulated bank, which has long supported financial flows between Africa, Britain and global markets, joins a select group of institutions approved by the AfDB under its eligibility criteria.

The AfDB said the partnership would help address Africa’s trade finance gap and support greater intra-African trade, particularly as implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gathers pace.

“This agreement strengthens our ability to support businesses engaged in international trade and reinforces our commitment to facilitating economic growth and investment across Africa,” GHIB Chief Executive Officer Ian Greenstreet said.

He added that GHIB’s international connections and African roots positioned the bank as a bridge between African markets and global capital.

AfDB Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation, Solomon Quaynor, said the partnership would support trade, especially in low-income countries and transition economies including Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Guinea and Liberia.

“AfDB is delighted to partner with GHIB to support trade across Africa,” Quaynor said, adding that the bank’s confirming bank capacity aligned with the AfDB’s goal of promoting regional integration.

The agreement is expected to increase access to trade finance, support more cross-border transactions and strengthen GHIB’s role as a banking partner for businesses operating across African and international markets.