African lender appoints Kanayo Awani MD for Intra-African Trade

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has appointed Ms Kanayo Awani, as Managing Director of its intra-African Trade Initiative.

In a statement on Monday in Lagos, Afreximbank President, Dr Benedict Oramah, was quoted as saying that the appointment takes effect on May 18.

Oramah said Awani would lead Afreximbank’s efforts to raise the level of intra-regional trade in Africa by 50 per cent in the next five years to reach a trade volume of $250 billion.

He said Awani had demonstrated unusual commitment to the vision of Afreximbank and exhibited the determination required for the effective delivery of the bank’s goals.

Until the appointment, Awani was the Director of Afreximbank’s Trade Finance and Branches Department, which managed the bank's business development efforts in trade finance across Africa.

Prior to joining Afreximbank in 2009, she served for many years with Citigroup, her last position being that of Vice President and Head of Industrial and Commercial Corporates at Citigroup Nigeria.

Awani obtained a Master of Public Administration, specialising in International Trade and Finance from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, United States.

She also holds the Edward S. Mason Fellowship in Public Policy and Management from the same University.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is the foremost Pan-African multilateral financial institution devoted to financing and promoting intra- and extra-African trade.

The Bank was established in October 1993 by the African governments, African private and institutional investors, and non-African investors.

Since 1994, Afreximbank has approved almost $35 billion in credit facilities for African businesses including about $4.5 billion in 2014.

Afreximbank's headquarters is in Cairo.