The Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD), the learning and capacity-building arm of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has received the Silver Award in the Professional Development category at the 2025 EFMD Global Excellence in Practice Awards, held in Stockholm, Sweden.
The prestigious recognition honours AFRACAD’s flagship initiative, the Certificate of Trade Finance in Africa (COTFIA) programme — a pioneering training platform that has, for nearly a decade, enhanced trade finance expertise and fostered professional excellence across the African continent.
Developed in partnership with FCI and the AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo (AUC), the COTFIA programme embodies Afreximbank’s long-term mission to build Africa’s trade finance capacity, equip professionals with global-standard skills, and strengthen the continent’s trade ecosystem.
At the event, Dr. Anan Shendy, representing AFRACAD, delivered a presentation of the Bank’s award-winning case study titled “Transcending Borders: A Pan-African Partnership to Support Trade Professionals.” The presentation, jointly delivered with representatives from AUC and FCI at the Stockholm School of Economics, showcased the success of collaborative learning in advancing Africa’s trade and economic development.
Expressing gratitude for the honour, Stephen Tio Kauma, Group Managing Director, Human Resources at Afreximbank, said:
“We are deeply grateful for this award, which highlights Afreximbank’s continuing impact on the professional development of trade experts across the continent.”
The EFMD Global Excellence in Practice Awards are among the most respected international recognitions for institutions that demonstrate outstanding impact in management development, learning, and organizational transformation.
Afreximbank’s latest achievement underscores its commitment to nurturing Africa’s next generation of trade professionals and advancing sustainable capacity-building efforts that drive intra-African commerce and global competitiveness.
