Azania Bank, a Tanzanian commercial bank, has secured a $10 million facility from African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to expand financing for small and medium-sized enterprises across the country’s export value chains, giving businesses access to working capital and medium-term funding as they seek to expand, acquire productive assets and increase participation in regional and international trade.

The financing was provided under Afreximbank’s Export SME Development Programme, which targets businesses that face funding constraints as they prepare to enter or expand in export markets. Azania Bank will on-lend the funds to eligible enterprises in agriculture, manufacturing, trade, technology, logistics and other value-added sectors tied to exports.

The facility is designed to help Tanzanian SMEs increase productivity, strengthen export readiness and pursue opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area. It also supports businesses seeking to join regional supply networks, where access to finance remains a major constraint on expansion, investment and cross-border trade.

Funding meets demand

Beyond lending, participating businesses will receive export-readiness training, financial management advice, market-linkage opportunities and digitalization support. Afreximbank also plans to provide access to SME-focused knowledge and networking platforms, giving companies tools intended to improve competitiveness, strengthen resilience and support growth beyond the initial financing.

Oluranti Doherty, Afreximbank’s managing director for export development, said SMEs remain central to Africa’s productive economy but continue to face barriers to finance, market access and technical support. She said the program is intended to combine funding with capacity building and market-access solutions to help businesses scale and export.

Yahaya Mbanka, Azania Bank’s director of business development, said the facility would strengthen the bank’s ability to finance business expansion, productive investment and export opportunities. He said the partnership would also allow Azania Bank to provide support tailored to businesses operating across Tanzania’s key value chains.

Trade ambitions expand

The deal aligns with Tanzania’s focus on domestic production, value addition, export diversification and regional trade integration. Afreximbank’s 2025 Trade Development Effectiveness Report said the bank extended more than $960 million to over 58,000 SMEs across Africa, with support including trade finance for women- and youth-led enterprises.

Afreximbank, based in Cairo, finances and promotes intra- and extra-African trade. The bank reported more than $48.5 billion in total assets and contingencies and $8.4 billion in shareholder funds at the end of December 2025. It also supports AfCFTA implementation through initiatives including the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System.

Azania Builds Scale

Founded in 1995, Azania Bank operates 40 branches, foreign-exchange bureaus and digital channels across Tanzania. The bank offers business, consumer and mortgage loans, as well as payment and transfer services. Its digital banking products include Visa cards, Azania Wakala, internet banking and a mobile application.

Azania Bank reported net profit after tax of TZS 61.18 billion ($23.14 million), for 2025, up 61% from TZS 38.03 billion ($14.38 million) in 2024. Revenue rose 30% to TZS 360.19 billion ($136.22 million) from TZS 276.89 billion ($104.71 million), while total assets increased 50% to TZS 3.66 trillion ($1.38 billion).