The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has begun construction of a $250 million Pan-African trade hub in Egypt, a project aimed at strengthening intra-African commerce and positioning the country as a key gateway for continental and global trade.
The development, known as the Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC), is being built in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, east of Cairo. It will serve as Afreximbank’s new global headquarters and a multifunctional platform designed to support trade finance, business networking, market intelligence and capacity building across Africa.
Hassan Allam Construction, a subsidiary of Egypt’s Hassan Allam Holding, is the main contractor for the project, while EHAF Consulting Engineers is responsible for design and supervision. Construction is expected to be completed by early 2029.
Once finished, the complex will include modern office space for Afreximbank, a 110-room apartment hotel, six residential villas, a 750-seat conference center, exhibition halls, and a fully equipped business center. The development will also house a trade and investment information center, a knowledge hub and library, a corporate museum, and an SME incubation and innovation center. Retail outlets, restaurants and extensive parking facilities are also part of the plan.
According to Afreximbank, the trade center is intended to address persistent gaps in access to trade information, financing and business networks that continue to limit the growth of intra-African trade. By bringing together financial services, policy dialogue, business support and knowledge resources in one location, the bank aims to create an ecosystem that supports African exporters, investors and entrepreneurs.
The Egypt hub forms part of a broader Afreximbank strategy to establish a network of African Trade Centers across the continent and in key international locations. Similar centers are planned or under development in cities including Abuja, Harare, Kampala, Abidjan, Yaoundé, Kigali, Tunis and Bridgetown.
The project also reinforces Egypt’s role as host of Afreximbank’s global headquarters and underscores the country’s ambition to position itself as a central node in Africa’s trade architecture, particularly as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gathers momentum.
Afreximbank said the new center will play a strategic role in promoting trade integration, supporting value addition, and deepening economic cooperation among African countries, while linking the continent more effectively to global markets.
