Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD) has opened registration for its 2026 Certificate of Trade Finance in Africa (COTFIA) programme, targeting banking professionals and trade finance practitioners across the continent. Registration closes on 31 May 2026.
The programme is designed to strengthen Africa’s trade finance capacity by improving skills, addressing regulatory and operational gaps, and supporting the continent’s ability to compete in global markets. It also covers implementation aspects of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is expected to boost intra-African trade.
COTFIA 2026 will follow a blended format, combining five online instructor-led modules, one in-person module at the American University in Cairo (AUC) campus, and a final module delivered asynchronously online.
Developed in partnership with Factors Chain International, AUC, and Quarter Bank, the programme provides participants with technical, regulatory, and practical trade finance skills. Since its inception in 2016, COTFIA has trained more than 150 professionals from across Africa.
Stephen Kauma, Afreximbank’s Managing Director of Human Resources, said the programme is critical for developing “a new generation of trade finance professionals capable of advancing Africa’s trade agenda and global competitiveness.”
To expand access, AFRACAD will provide scholarships covering 50% of tuition fees to the first seven applicants this year. The programme was recognised with a Silver Award in the Professional Development category at the 2025 EFMD Excellence in Practice Awards.
Interested participants can register for the programme at https://apo-opa.co/4bgB4zc
