HARARE, May 21, 2026 — The African Export-Import Bank [Afreximbank] has extended a US$15 million SME finance facility to Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited under its Export SME Development Programme [ESDP].
Officials from both institutions said the facility will provide working capital and capital expenditure financing to small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs] operating within export value chains across key sectors of the Zimbabwean economy, including agribusiness, manufacturing, healthcare and logistics.
The funding marks the latest milestone in a partnership between the two institutions that dates back to 2018 and reflects their shared commitment to expanding SME access to finance, deepening export value chains and driving inclusive economic growth in Zimbabwe.
Under the facility, enterprises that form the productive backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy — but which remain chronically underserved by conventional lending — will gain improved access to financing. The programme specifically targets SMEs operating across export value chains in sectors such as agribusiness, manufacturing, logistics, technology, healthcare and the creative economy.
Commenting on the signing, Doherty Oluranti, Managing Director for Export Development at Afreximbank, said: “In Zimbabwe and across the continent, Afreximbank remains firmly committed to supporting SMEs as engines of export growth, economic resilience and long-term development. This facility exemplifies the kind of high-additionality, high-impact intervention that the ESDP was designed to deliver, addressing market failures that commercial finance alone cannot resolve and building the productive capacity of enterprises that are central to Africa’s trade transformation.”
“It therefore goes beyond providing credit; it is a structured commitment to building the capacity of enterprises that can drive Zimbabwe’s participation in intra-African trade and regional value chains. Through the ESDP, we are ensuring that each beneficiary SME is not only funded, but also equipped, connected and positioned to grow sustainably.”
The facility is structured to channel Afreximbank’s development finance through Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited as a licensed financial intermediary, combining the bank’s trade finance expertise with Ecobank’s extensive local footprint and client relationships.
Approximately 43.75 per cent of the proceeds will support intra-African trade activities, while 18 per cent will be directed towards manufacturing, reflecting Afreximbank’s focus on industrialisation and regional trade integration.
As part of its non-financial interventions under the ESDP, Afreximbank will also provide capacity-building support to SME sub-borrowers in areas including operations and financial management, loan management, export readiness, marketing and digitalisation. The integrated support is designed to enhance SME sustainability, strengthen credit quality and enable stronger participation in export value chains.
For Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited, the facility significantly enhances its ability to serve a market segment it considers critical to the country’s economic prospects. By channelling Afreximbank’s development finance through its existing SME product suite and advisory infrastructure, the bank will offer beneficiary enterprises not only financing, but also integrated financial and business advisory solutions — a combination expected to improve SME success rates and export market penetration.
In his remarks, Moses Kurenjekwa, Managing Director of Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited, said: “Ecobank Zimbabwe Limited is proud to partner with Afreximbank on this facility, which speaks directly to our commitment to unlocking the potential of Zimbabwe’s SME sector. Small businesses are the engine of our economy, and access to appropriate export-linked financing is what enables them to grow, create jobs and compete regionally.”
“This collaboration brings together Afreximbank’s development finance mandate and our on-the-ground reach to deliver a solution that is both impactful and scalable. We look forward to walking this journey with Zimbabwe’s SMEs as they integrate into regional and continental trade value chains.”
The Afreximbank Export SME Development Programme is a comprehensive ecosystem intervention that combines capital, capacity and connectivity. By working through trusted partners such as Ecobank Zimbabwe, the programme seeks to ensure that resources reach the enterprises that need them most and that those businesses are equipped not only to access financing, but also to build genuinely competitive, export-capable operations.
Positioned at the intersection of Southern Africa’s key trade corridors — including the North-South Corridor linking Dar es Salaam and Durban, and the Beira Corridor connecting landlocked economies to Indian Ocean ports — Zimbabwe stands to benefit significantly from the facility.
The financing comes at a pivotal moment for the country’s economy, with GDP growth forecast at 6 per cent in 2025, driven by improved agricultural output and strong gold prices. SMEs account for more than 60 per cent of Zimbabwe’s GDP and over 70 per cent of national employment, yet access to long-tenor, export-linked financing has remained a persistent constraint on their growth and competitiveness.
https://thecooperator.news/zimbabwe-govt-warns-stubborn-housing-cooperatives/
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