Nigeria: Afreximbank, DBN Partner On $75 Million Finance Facility for SMEs, Creative Sector

What the report says

Afreximbank has committed a $75 million finance facility to Nigeria’s Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) to widen access to funding for small and medium-sized enterprises, including eligible businesses in the creative economy. The announcement was made during CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos, underscoring the event’s focus on linking African creative businesses with finance, investment and markets.

According to the joint statement cited by Premium Times, the facility will be routed through DBN’s participating financial institutions and is intended to support working capital, asset purchases, and pre- and post-export activities, as well as supply-chain needs. Intended beneficiaries include firms in fashion, film, music, design and related creative industries, alongside other export-oriented SMEs.

Afreximbank and DBN said the arrangement goes beyond lending. It also includes capacity-building support to help financial institutions better serve smaller businesses and to improve SME readiness for export markets. Afreximbank said it plans to connect firms to trade and market-access platforms such as MANSA, TRADAR, PAPSS and ATEX, while also using initiatives like the Africa Buyer Programme and the Intra-African Trade Fair.

The partnership matters because access to credit remains a major constraint for Nigerian MSMEs. DBN said the deal fits its mandate to strengthen inclusive and sustainable growth by helping local businesses become more resilient and competitive, including in regional and international markets.