Afreximbank has launched the first cohort of its “Afreximbank Accelerator Programme,” bringing together eight startups from across Africa and the diaspora for a kick-off week in Cairo from 23 March 2026 to 27 March 2026.

Selected from over 1,600 applications, the cohort includes ventures developing digital infrastructure for intra-African trade in sectors such as cross-border payments, digital logistics, agri-export platforms, AI enterprise solutions, supply chain finance and diaspora investment.

The participating startups are:

Fincart.io (Egypt)

A digital logistics platform that streamlines e-commerce operations by connecting merchants with a vast network of couriers and providing flexible shipping finance.

OnePort 365 (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya)

A tech-enabled freight forwarding platform that provides end-to-end transparency and optimization for Africa’s cross-border traders.

Timon (15 African countries)

A fintech startup that simplifies regional travel and commerce by offering a globally usable travel card and app integrated across 15 African countries.

Zowasel (Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania)

An agricultural technology company that connects smallholder farmers to global supply chains through a digital marketplace, alternative credit scoring, and sustainability tracking.

Gebeya (Ethiopia and pan-African)

A SaaS-enabled talent marketplace that identifies, upskills, and deploys pre-vetted African tech professionals to global enterprises.

Fluna (10 countries)

A specialised trade finance and marketplace provider that helps African agricultural exporters scale by connecting them with global buyers and essential working capital.

Capsa Technologies (Nigeria)

A fintech marketplace that helps SMBs improve liquidity by allowing them to trade their unpaid invoices for immediate cash

Daba Finance (Francophone Africa)

A unified investment infrastructure platform that provides individuals and institutions with seamless access to African capital markets, including stocks, bonds, and venture capital.

Under the programme, qualifying startups may receive up to US$250,000 in investment, subject to due diligence, along with mentorship, market access and strategic partnerships.

The Cairo week, hosted at Afreximbank’s headquarters, included sessions with the Bank’s leadership, industry experts, mentors and ecosystem partners, and will conclude with a social event at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Speaking at the kickoff, Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank, said:

“Trade does not happen within the pages of policy documents. Trade happens through businesses. It happens through entrepreneurs. It happens through builders. What excites me the most about this cohort is not only who you are, but what you represent. You are building the digital rails that will define how Africa trades in the 21st century.”

The programme offers access to Afreximbank’s pan-African network, regulatory guidance, market entry support and integration into its digital trade ecosystem, including the Africa Trade Gateway and the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System.

Collectively, the eight startups operate in more than 15 African countries.

Notable activity includes Fluna facilitating over US$50 million in trade, Capsa processing NGN70 billion in supply chain finance, OnePort 365 linking Nigeria-Ghana-Kenya corridors, Timon operating in 15 countries with plans to expand to 40, and Zowasel connecting over 4,000 cooperatives and agribusinesses.

The programme aims to support the development of Africa’s digital trade infrastructure and the implementation of the AfCFTA, fostering greater economic integration across the continent.

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Middle East, based on image by rawpixel.com via Freepik