Access Bank Champions African SMEs at Africa Marketplace Event in Dubai

Access Bank Champions African SMEs at Africa Marketplace Event in Dubai

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.

Dubai, UAE — Access Bank has reinforced its commitment to promoting African entrepreneurship and cross-border trade by sponsoring the inaugural African Marketplace Dubai 2025, an initiative of the Ibukun Awosika Leadership Academy (IALA).

The event, held at the Grand Hyatt Dubai, brought together more than 300 curated African brands and participants from over 200 countries, creating a platform for business networking, investment opportunities and global market access for African enterprises.

Access Bank’s participation aligns with its strategic vision of positioning itself as Africa’s Gateway to the World, with a focus on facilitating trade, payments and small and medium enterprise (SME) growth across the continent.

Speaking at the opening session, founder of IALA and host of the event, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, highlighted the role of entrepreneurship in shaping Africa’s economic future.

“This platform is a testament to the resilience, innovation and creativity driving African businesses forward. It is not just about trade, but about building relationships that open new opportunities and connect the world to Africa’s immense potential,” Awosika said.

Driving SME Growth and Trade Integration

Access Bank said its sponsorship of the pan-African trade and investment fair reflects its ongoing efforts to promote intra-African trade and support SMEs, particularly in sectors such as fashion, arts and crafts, furniture, food and technology.

In her keynote address, Kafui Bimpe, Head of SMEs for African Subsidiaries at Access Bank, reiterated the Bank’s strategic focus on empowering small businesses to scale beyond local markets.

“At Access Bank, our vision is clear — to be Africa’s Gateway to the World. This drives our commitment to promoting intra-African trade, enabling seamless cross-border payments and empowering SMEs to grow from local champions into global competitors,” she said.

During the event, Access Bank showcased a range of SME-focused financial and non-financial solutions, including access to finance, capacity-building programmes, mentorship initiatives and strategic partnerships designed to support sustainable business growth across Africa.

Africa’s Shift to Value Creation

The event also featured a keynote address by the President of the Republic of Togo, His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, who underscored Africa’s transition from potential to productivity in global trade.

“Africa’s era of potential is over. The continent is now creating, innovating and asserting its rightful place in global trade,” the Togolese leader said.

Strengthening Global Market Access

Access Bank noted that the African Marketplace Dubai 2025 provided a unique opportunity for African businesses to engage directly with international investors and buyers, fostering new partnerships and expanding global market reach.

The Bank said the initiative aligns with its broader objective of strengthening economic integration across Africa by supporting cross-border commerce and facilitating business-to-business connections.

Looking Ahead

Building on the momentum from Dubai, Access Bank announced plans to host the second edition of the Access Trade Conference (ATC) in Cape Town in 2026. The event is expected to further deepen discussions on trade facilitation, innovation and economic collaboration across the continent, while expanding opportunities for African SMEs.

Access Bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting sustainable SME growth, expanding access to global markets and strengthening Africa’s position in the international trade ecosystem.