Access Bank has been recognised as the ‘Best Trade Partner Bank West Africa 2024’ by the International Finance Corporation, IFC.
The prestigious award was received by the thriving financial institution at the Global Trade Partners Meeting, GTPM, held recently, in Barcelona, Spain.
In a statement announcing the award on Monday, the bank said the award highlights its outstanding performance and commitment to fostering trade finance across the continent.
The GTPM, organised by the IFC, is one of the most significant events in the global trade finance industry, and is known for its unique footprint due to IFC’s extensive reach and client base in emerging markets.
The 2024 event marked the 20th anniversary of IFC’s Global Trade Finance Program and attracted a record number of delegates, featuring prominent speakers and panellists, who provided valuable insights into the global trade landscape.
Speaking on the award the Executive Director, African Subsidiaries at Access Bank, Seyi Kumapayi, said “We are honoured to receive this award from IFC, which is a testament to our relentless efforts in leveraging our extensive network across Africa to scale trade opportunities between the continent and the rest of the world.
Kumapayi added that “Access Bank remains committed to facilitating trade that drives economic growth and prosperity for our stakeholders and the regions we serve.”
Access Bank was represented at the GTPM by Sunmbo Olatunji, Group Head, Treasury; Tosin Olatunji, Group Head, Corporate Operations; Seun Olufeko, Group Head Project and Structured Finance, Corporate and Investment Banking Division, CIBD; Oluchukwu Kalu, Team Member PSF, CIBD; and Rowly Isioro, Head, Trade and Global Transaction Banking, Africa.
The bank noted that Isioro also participated in a panel discussion titled ‘IFC: 20 Years in Trade, Partnerships and Perspectives’ where he addressed the importance of building resilient trade finance systems in emerging markets and how the IFC Global Trade Finance Programme has evolved over the years, from IFC providing guarantees for letters of credit to accommodate other trade instruments like promissory notes and green trade or climate-friendly transactions.
“Africa is ripe for partnerships that can drive substantial economic growth.
“At Access Bank, we are dedicated to developing innovative solutions that tackle the unique challenges faced by African businesses, such as currency volatility and regulatory complexities. By strengthening our trade finance infrastructure, and by leaning on the interconnectivity of our subsidiaries – strategically spread across Africa’s key trade blocs – we aim to facilitate smoother trade flows and empower our clients to seize global opportunities effectively,” Isioro said.
The GTPM Barcelona 2024 featured a three-day programme that saw contributions from internationally renowned speakers such as Marc Auboin, Counsellor at the World Trade Organisation; Alexia Boutin-Somnolet, Lenders’ Solution Leader at Marsh; Gonzalo Gortázar, Chief Executive Officer of CaixaBank, Spain; Nathalie Louat, Global Director, Trade and Supply Chain Finance at IFC; and Paolo Mauro, Director of the Economic and Market Research Department at IFC, amongst others. The event, which was sponsored by Access Bank, CaixaBank, amongst other, concluded with a Gala Awards Dinner celebrating the 20th anniversary of IFC’s Global Trade Finance Programme and honouring its high-performing trade finance partners.
