Hosted in Accra, the forum was partnered by the National AfCFTA Coordination Office and was inaugurated by Adolph Kpegah, the Interim Managing Director of Absa Bank, who outlined the bank’s vision for enabling businesses to thrive in a unified African market. “The forum showcases Absa’s commitment to empower Africa’s progress, together with our partners and everyone present here,” Mr. Kpegah stated, emphasizing the collaborative efforts to transform the promise of AfCFTA into a tangible reality for businesses across the continent.

Mr. Kpegah further emphasized the bank’s role in fostering business relationships: “We have mastered the creation of mutually beneficial relationships that prioritize our clients’ and stakeholders’ interests. This positions us to help your businesses explore the opportunities that intra-African trade presents. As a member of the Absa Group, and with over 100 years of presence on the continent, we are ideally placed to expose your business to our regional footprints, deep continental knowledge, and industry specialist expertise. Absa offers diversified pre- and post-shipment trade and working capital advisory and financing solutions, along with risk management solutions for hedging your interest rate risk and foreign exchange exposure across the continent.”

Emmanuel Mensah, Head of Trade and Working Capital at Absa Bank Ghana, reiterated the bank’s commitment to ensuring value creation for Ghanaian businesses, particularly SMEs, to open them up to new markets for sustainable growth. According to him, this aligns with Absa Bank’s vision of empowering Africa’s tomorrow together, one story at a time. “This is the opportune time to work with businesses both locally and on the African continent, empower them to grow their businesses while adding value to their products,” he added.

He appealed to Ghanaian businesses to partner with Absa Bank to drive growth and benefit from the opportunities that AfCFTA presents for intra-continental trade.

The forum was enriched with contributions from key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana Revenue Authority, and the AfCFTA office, providing participants with the essential tools and knowledge to succeed in the expansive market.