The Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD) has announced the opening of registration for its 2026 Certificate of Trade Finance in Africa (COTFIA), one of its flagship programmes designed to strengthen Africa’s trade finance capacity by enhancing trade-related skills and addressing critical capacity gaps, enabling the continent to compete more effectively in global markets.
According to AFRACAD, registration for the programme, which is open to banking professionals and other practitioners interested in the area of trade finance, will end on 31 May 2026.
Developed by AFRACAD, in partnership with Factors Chain International, the American University in Cairo (AUC), and Quarter Bank, the programme is designed to enhance participants’ understanding of all aspects of international trade finance and is continuously updated to conform to best practices. It also addresses various aspects of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which is expected to have a significant impact on improving intra-African trade.
Similar to the 2025 cohort, the 2026 COTFIA programme will be conducted in a blended format, with five modules delivered online in instructor-led virtual sessions, one module in face-to-face sessions at the AUC campus in New Cairo, Egypt, and the final module asynchronously online.
Commenting on the programme, Mr. Stephen Kauma, Managing Director, Human Resources, Afreximbank, “underscored its strategic importance in building a new generation of highly skilled trade finance professionals capable of advancing Africa’s trade agenda and strengthening the continent’s ability to compete effectively in the global marketplace.”
Mr. Kauma urged African banking professionals and other practitioners in trade finance to take advantage of the programme, announcing that AFRACAD will offer scholarships covering 50 per cent of tuition fees to the first seven applicants this year, further reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to expanding access to high-quality trade finance capacity building across Global Africa.
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