Aduragbemi Omiyale
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A trade finance facility worth $10 million has been secured by a Nigerian lender, Parallex Bank Limited, and the funds would be used to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in cross-border trades.
The money was given to Parallex Bank by Afreximbank as part of its efforts to bridge the financing gap for businesses.
A statement from the Nigerian bank said the $10 million would be used to support other pan-African business opportunities its growing SME segment, as well as for emerging commercial and corporate banking businesses.
In addition, the funds would be used by to facilitate, through on-lending, access to cross-border trade finance for SMEs and to create lines of credit for businesses operating in the agriculture, export industry, health, education and renewable energy sectors.
These would be achieved through Afreximbank’s technical assistance in capacity development and other training programmes geared towards solidifying the relationship between the two institutions.
The chief executive of Parallex Bank, Mr Olufemi Bakre, has described the facility as a testament to the “confidence that Afreximbank has in Parallex Bank.”
“It helps us to materialise our strategy of building ecosystem partnerships to support critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy for growth and development,” Mr Bakre, promising that the bank will “engage in product-based collaborations to increase transaction mileage in specific and strategic segments, such as the creative industry, women-owned and managed businesses, among others.”
On his part, the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, Mr Benedict Oramah, explained that the funds were made available to the Nigerian lender to support small business owners on the continent.
“We are pleased to continue to expand the AfTRAF programme across Africa. This financing facility provided to Parallex Bank comes in addition to other trade facilities already in use by our other partner banks in Nigeria and throughout the continent to help bridge the financing gap created by the withdrawal of international correspondent banks,” he remarked.
