By Asmau Ahmad
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the finalisation of a $207 million facility granted by Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), the state-owned Japanese organisation focused on trade and investment.
Afreximbank’s Media Contact, Amadou Sall said this in a statement in Abuja that the agreement was consummated on Friday in Cairo, Egypt.
The facility would support the bank’s broader response measures to the Covid-19 pandemic, especially its financing efforts for the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines for Africa through the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT).
“Today’s announcement represents the second collaboration between Afreximbank and NEXI.
“In 2020, NEXI approved a $520 million facility which was also designed to support the Bank’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic by enabling it to finance the import of Covid-19 containment materials as well as related essentials.
“The range of facilities supports the implementation of the Japanese Government’s decision at the TICAD7, to support African countries by facilitating the deployment of private capital,” he said.
Sall said that Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) acted on the deal as Mandated Lead Arranger, Bookrunner, Agent, and Global Coordinator, and was involved in the first of NEXI’s facilities agreed with Afreximbank in 2020.
He said that the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, Professor Benedict Oramah, said.
“This facility, the second in a series demonstrates the strong commitment of the Government of Japan to the African continent as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It will significantly bolster Afreximbank’s activities in financing vaccination acquisition and delivery on the continent.
“The Japanese government made a commitment to assist African countries to manage, and adjust to, the pandemic, and today’s announcement provides yet another evidence of this in action,” Oramah said.
Also, the Chairman and CEO of NEXI, Atsuo Kuroda, said “NEXI is pleased to contribute to the stable supply of vaccines in the African continent.
“This facility is in line with the endorsement made by the Japanese government at the TICAD7 held in 2019, to heighten support to the African countries through the use of private capital.
“NEXI will continue to solve social issues that African countries are facing,” Kuroda said.
