Joint Statement: Afreximbank and African Petroleum Producers' Organisation (APPO) formally establish Africa Energy Bank

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) and the African Petroleum Producers' Organisation (APPO) have formally announced the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank (AEB). The announcement was made during the AEB’s inaugural general meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria, on 31 October 2026.

The creation of the Africa Energy Bank reaffirms African governments’ determination to secure their own energy future. This move is in recognition that significant investments in energy generation and transmission was required to accelerating industrial growth and to leveraging the tremendous opportunities from the emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).

The Bank is being established at a time when the continent’s energy investment needs are estimated at US$200 billion. Traditional providers of short- and long-term financing to Africa’s energy sector are withdrawing funding from fossil fuels, even as oil and gas remain vital to the continent’s energy systems. The Africa Energy Bank aims to bridge this financing gap while supporting a just energy transition for African countries.

With an authorised capital of US$5 billion, the AEB will support projects across the energy value chain, including exploration and production, transportation, processing, refining, and distribution. These investments are intended to strengthen productive capacity, reduce reliance on imported petroleum products, and promote intra-African trade in energy goods. The Bank’s mandate also includes promoting robust African participation in the continent’s energy sector to ensure that Africa’s energy future is shaped by Africans.

The AEB will operate as an independent, supranational pan-African financial institution. It will seek to attract investments from governments, national oil companies, financial institutions, and private investors to support energy development across the continent.

Resolutions passed at the first general assembly included the appointment of the Bank’s inaugural President, Mr Helmy Ghazi, and the formation of its first Board of Directors, comprising members from the public and private sectors as well as leading policy institutions from across the continent.

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About Afreximbank:

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa's trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A strong supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support member countries effectively participate in the AfCFTA. At the end of September 2026, Afreximbank's total assets and contingencies stood at over US$54.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$9.0 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), Moody's (Baa2) and S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

About APPO:

Represented by H.E. Farid Ghezali, the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO), formerly known as the African Petroleum Producers’ Association (APPA), was founded on 27 January 1987 in Lagos, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

APPO is an intergovernmental organization established to strengthen cooperation among African oil-producing countries through the coordination and harmonization of policies and efforts, as well as the promotion of collaboration and the exchange of knowledge, experience and expertise in the petroleum sector.