L-R: Evelyn Paul, Project Director, African Marketplace; Kafui Bimpe, Head, SME Africa, Access Bank; Ibukun Awosika, Founder, African Marketplace; and Eugenia Oduraa Addo, Head, SME Support, Access Bank Ghana at the inaugural African Marketplace Dubai 2025 event recently.
Access Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by sponsoring the inaugural African Marketplace Dubai 2025, an initiative of the Ibukun Awosika Leadership Academy (IALA). The event, hosted at the Grand Hyatt Dubai, attracted over 300 brands and participants from more than 200 countries, promoting cross-border trade and global business engagement.
The event provided a platform for African businesses to showcase their products across sectors such as fashion, arts and crafts, furniture, food, and technology. Access Bank highlighted its role as a key enabler of trade, payments, and SME growth across Africa, emphasizing its focus on intra-African trade and fostering B2B and B2C linkages.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ibukun Awosika, founder of IALA, praised African entrepreneurs for their resilience and creativity. She described the event as a platform for forging international connections, stating that it is “not just about trade, it’s about building relationships that will open new doors for generations to come.”
Access Bank’s Head of SME, African Subsidiaries, Kafui Bimpe, stressed the Bank’s strategic focus on empowering SMEs. “Our vision is clear — to be Africa’s Gateway to the World,” she said, adding that the Bank is committed to providing tools, resources, and mentorship to help African SMEs grow from local champions to global competitors.
Throughout the event, Access Bank showcased innovative SME-focused solutions, including access to finance, capacity-building programs, and strategic partnerships. These initiatives aim to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of African businesses on the global stage.
The keynote address by His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, President of Togo, further underscored Africa’s growing role in global trade. He declared that “Africa’s era of potential is over; the continent is now creating, innovating, and claiming its rightful place in global commerce.”
Access Bank’s sponsorship of the African Marketplace aligns with its broader objective of boosting intra-African trade and economic integration. By connecting African entrepreneurs with international investors, the Bank is facilitating new growth opportunities and promoting cross-border collaboration.
The Bank’s participation is part of its ongoing commitment to ensure African SMEs thrive in the global economy. Through access to markets, financial support, and capacity development, Access Bank continues to position itself as a key catalyst for sustainable SME growth across the continent.
Building on the momentum from Dubai, Access Bank plans to host the second edition of the Access Trade Conference (ATC) in Cape Town in 2026. The conference aims to deepen discussions on trade facilitation, innovation, and cross-border collaboration, further reinforcing the Bank’s role as Africa’s Gateway to the World.
Access Bank, a subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc, operates across three continents and 24 countries with over 700 branches and more than 60 million customers. The Bank combines retail banking, corporate expertise, and sustainable business practices to drive economic growth while supporting African entrepreneurs to access global markets.
