The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) on Tuesday launched a new entity, the African Trade and Distribution Company (ATDC), to catalyse large scale trade in raw materials, minerals and value-added products from across Africa.
The merchandize trade promoting bank, through the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), established the new company in collaboration with Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), Equitane DMCC and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
A news report from the African Press Organization (APO) Group on the launch indicated that the new entity had already secured a US$1 billion funding pledge from Afreximbank to invest in aggregation of value-added goods, support logistics and distribution networks as well as financing its subsidiaries’ business operations.
According to the online news medium, Afreximbank’s President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, supervised the launch of ATDC in the presence of the Acting Prime Minister of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, H.E. Sifi Ghrieb and other heads of government and ministers from African and Caribbean countries at an event held during the ongoing Intra-Africa Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) in Algiers, Algeria.
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Also unveiled during the launch was ATDC’s flagship subsidiary, ATDC Minerals (ATMIN), dedicated to trading and financing minerals and hydrocarbons.
Speaking at the event, Oramah said: “Africa is rich in resources; but historical dynamics have skewed our trade outwards. Traditionally, the continent has relied on others to add value to its commodities and minerals as well as to trade them. Through ATDC and ATMIN, we aim to close the loop and to take back control of how our commodities and minerals in global Africa are produced and traded across value chains by integrating them in local economies to benefit more people.”
At the sidelines of the event, ATDC signed deals with several other companies across the continent spanning logistics, minerals, agricultural produce, among others.
The deal includes collaboration with Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP) to supply feedstock to its operating companies in various special economic zones; a co-investment partnership with BSMART Technology Limited to establish digitally integrated logistics hubs in key African ports trade repos with Export Trading Group (ETG), KK Kingdom Nigeria Limited and Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited.
The company also agreed on terms for joint ventures with CBZ Holdings and Nigeria Commodity Exchange for setting up national ATDCs in Zimbabwe and Nigeria respectively. At the same time, ATMIN announced landmark deals to the tune of about US$3 billion which included oil lifting arrangements with Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited and Roxzen Nigeria Limited.
Speaking during the event, the CEO of ATDC, Abdul Aziz Ba said: “We look forward to cultivating a robust trading ecosystem across Africa that integrates with global markets for shared prosperity through impactful partnerships and effective logistics. Through this, we will transform Intra-African trade by driving the continent’s transition from export of raw materials and minerals to value added products and last mile distribution. ATDC is investing in expanding production and processing capacity, establishing connections across regional value chains and to markets, and delivering effective distribution channels”.
In his remarks, the CEO of ATMIN, Ajay Oommen, assured: “ATMIN is committed to supporting the monetisation of Africa’s abundant fossil fuel resources ahead of the global energy transition. We aim to foster stronger Intra-African trade, drive value addition, and streamline supply chains to ensure that a significant share of this value is retained within the continent.”
