The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Adjustment Fund has disbursed its first transaction—a $10 million loan to Telecel Global Services—to strengthen digital infrastructure and promote trade integration in Africa. Announced by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the financing will support Telecel’s expansion efforts in Ghana and Liberia.
Structured as a senior secured amortizing loan, the deal highlights the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund’s mission to help both public and private entities navigate the transition to the continent’s new trade regime. The fund is composed of three pillars:
- Core Fund: Compensates for tariff revenue losses from AfCFTA implementation.
- General Fund: Supports trade-enabling infrastructure development.
- Credit Fund: Facilitates trade finance to unlock economic opportunities under the agreement.
Telecel Global Services, a Mauritius-based subsidiary of Telecel Group, delivers wholesale voice, SMS, and enterprise connectivity to over 250 telecom operators, mostly across Africa.
AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene hailed the transaction as a milestone. “By investing in digital infrastructure, we are addressing some of the most critical factors for trade facilitation, industrialization, and regional value chain development,” he said.
The funding is expected to bridge Africa’s digital divide, enhance cross-border productivity, and accelerate inclusive industrialization, placing digital connectivity at the center of AfCFTA’s trade and economic integration goals.
Source: Agence Ecofin
