Afreximbank, Zep-Re launch TABA to boost trade and insurance

Joy Agwunobi

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has entered into a strategic partnership with Zep-Re (PTA Reinsurance Company) to introduce the Trans-Africa Bond Alliance (TABA), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing Africa’s insurance capacity gap.

This alliance is designed to empower African contractors, enabling them to secure more construction and procurement projects while simultaneously fostering cross-border trade and enhancing the movement of goods and investments across the continent.

Through the provision of robust transit guarantee mechanisms, the joint venture between Afreximbank and Zep-Re is expected to play a pivotal role in reducing trade barriers, lowering operational costs, and significantly improving efficiency in the movement of goods within Africa. By addressing structural constraints in trade finance, the initiative seeks to create a seamless trade environment that benefits businesses and economies across the region.

According to the two organisations, TABA will be instrumental in facilitating smooth cross-border trade and expanding the trade insurance business within the continent. The initiative aligns closely with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which aspires to establish a unified market for goods and services across 54 African nations.

By ensuring a more streamlined transit trade process, TABA aims to bolster the trade insurance sector, instilling confidence among businesses while mitigating financial risks associated with intra-African commerce.

Africa is characterised by approximately 110 national borders, with 16 landlocked countries relying on intricate and often costly trade processes. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), transport charges in some cases exceed the value of the goods being traded, posing a significant challenge to economic integration. The introduction of TABA presents a transformative solution by allowing traders to transport goods from Cape Town to Cairo using a single transit bond, thus reducing bureaucratic delays and cutting overall trade costs.

The formation of TABA builds on decades of concerted efforts to boost intra-African trade through financial and insurance institutions. Afreximbank, since its inception in 1993, has played a critical role in trade finance and facilitation, while Zep-Re has been a leading force in providing reinsurance solutions that support trade insurance across the continent. Leveraging the expertise and resources of these institutions, TABA aims to overcome challenges that businesses face due to diverse and often complex regulatory environments across African nations.

At its core, TABA is designed to introduce a more streamlined and structured approach to trade facilitation by incorporating mechanisms such as Transit Bonds, Performance Bonds, and Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs). These financial instruments will provide security for the movement of goods, reducing the financial exposure of businesses and encouraging trade growth.

The initiative is expected to yield multiple benefits, including:

• Enhancing trade efficiency by eliminating delays caused by multiple national bond requirements.

• Boosting investor confidence through a structured and transparent customs guarantee system.

• Reducing trade costs, thereby making African exports more competitive in the global market.

• Ensuring compliance with customs regulations, helping to curb illicit trade and secure government revenues.

• Expanding market opportunities for African businesses by facilitating smoother cross-border trade.

To ensure successful implementation and widespread adoption, Afreximbank and Zep-Re plan to roll out a comprehensive awareness campaign. This campaign will aim to educate businesses, financial institutions, and other stakeholders on the benefits and operational framework of the new system, ensuring that they are well-equipped to leverage the advantages of TABA.

Speaking at the launch, Denys Denya, senior executive vice president of Afreximbank, said”Today we forge a new alliance to dismantle the artificial barriers and tighten the bolts and nuts of the wheels of trade and investment flows across national borders. This couldn’t have come at any other time than now, when the pillars of global cooperation and integration are being disintegrated, and fragmentation, isolationism and protectionism have taken hold in our world. Through this collaboration, our goal is not to displace local operators but to boost the capacity and efficiency of interstate transit regimes, paving the way for a continental framework under the AfCFTA.”

Similarly, Hope Murera, managing director and CEO of Zep-Re (PTA Reinsurance Company), noted during the launch the impact TABA would make in Africa trade ecosystem. She said, “ We are not just unveiling a new partnership—we are ushering in a new era. One that reimagines how we facilitate trade, manage risk, and support cross-border movement across our continent. ZEP-RE’s experience and impact through flagship regional programs demonstrates what is possible when vision meets action.  TABA represents a shared vision—a vision where Africa is connected by bridges of opportunity, not barriers”.

Veronica M. Nduva, CBS, secretary general of the East African Community (EAC) noted, “The East African Community has long been committed to fostering regional integration and economic development. Indeed, our two pillars of the four of establishment are a customs union and a common market. The establishment of TABA aligns seamlessly with our regional integration program, which aims to enhance cross border trade, reduce trade costs and promote economic growth across the continent with simplified trade regimes.