Financial Rating: Afreximbank Ends Credit Rating Relationship with Fitch Ratings

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) announced on Friday, January 23, 2026, the official termination of its credit rating relationship with Fitch Ratings. The decision follows an in-depth internal review, after which the pan-African institution concluded that the rating exercise no longer adequately reflects an understanding of its Constitutive Agreement, mission, or mandate.

In a statement released in Cairo, Afreximbank emphasized that this separation does not affect the strength of its operational profile. The Bank underlined that its fundamentals remain robust, supported by strong shareholder relationships and the legal protections provided in its Constitutive Agreement, which has been signed and ratified by all its member states.

Afreximbank, a pan-African multilateral financial institution, is tasked with financing and promoting intra-African and extra-African trade. For over three decades, it has deployed innovative financing mechanisms to support the structural transformation of African trade, foster industrialization, and strengthen regional trade, contributing to the continent’s economic growth.

As a strategic partner of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Bank launched the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), adopted by the African Union as the official payment and settlement platform to facilitate AfCFTA implementation. Additionally, Afreximbank, in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the African Union, established a $10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries engaged in the trade integration process.

Financially, Afreximbank continues to demonstrate strong performance. As of the end of December 2024, its assets and contingent liabilities exceeded $40.1 billion, while its equity stood at $7.2 billion. The Bank also holds investment-grade ratings from several international agencies, including GCR, Moody’s, China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., and the Japan Credit Rating Agency.

Afreximbank has evolved into a group that includes, in addition to the Bank, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) and its insurance management subsidiary AfrexInsure. Based in Cairo, the institution reaffirms through this decision its commitment to preserving the integrity of its mandate and strengthening its role as a driver of trade and economic development in Africa.