NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the disbursement of a US$150 million finance facility to First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider. The funding was provided under Afreximbank’s Pandemic Trade Impact Mitigation Facility (PATIMFA).

Afreximbank’s US$150 million financial support will be accessible to FirstBank customers that are involved in the manufacturing and importation of products and equipment required to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as initiatives to rehabilitate hospitals and strengthen diagnostic and testing capacity. The loan will also be used for the financing of trade debt payments falling due to avert payment defaults in trade debt obligations. In addition, proceeds of the facility will help beneficiary businesses manage the impacts of the Ukraine crisis.