AfDB Approves $75M Funding to Support ETG’s Agriculture Ventures

L-R: AfDB Vice President Dr. Beth Dunford and Export Trading Group Chief Treasury Officer Paul Van Spaendonk

The African Development Bank Group has approved a $75 million financing package to support Export Trading Group (ETG), a Mauritius-based conglomerate with extensive operations across Africa. ETG boasts a diverse portfolio spanning agricultural inputs, logistics, merchandising and processing, supply chain optimization, digital transformation, and energy.

This package includes a $65 million participation from the Bank’s own resources, along with $10 million in concessional co-financing from the Agri-Food Catalytic Financing Mechanism (ACFM) into ETGs Sustainable Linked Loan facility for financing its core value chain assets. The Agri-Food Catalytic Financing Mechanism is an internally managed Special Fund, capitalized by Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, to build markets and mobilize finance for gender-oriented and underserved agri-SMEs in Africa.

Through participation in the Sustainable Linked Loan facility, the financing will be deployed to ETG’s core value chains in 14 countries, namely Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. This will support ETG’s processing and packaging facilities and warehouses and provide farmers with fertilizers and other agri-inputs. The Bank’s financing may be deployed to up to 28 African countries based on ETG’s emerging needs.

The Sustainable Linked Loan facility establishes annual sustainability key performance indicators and targets focused on decarbonization, reforestation, zero deforestation, farmer extension services, and gender empowerment with inherent direct financial consequences for non-compliance.

“The African Development Bank Group is thrilled to expand our work with Export Trading Group and support its commitment to strengthen women’s economic development in Africa. Access to finance and training in agriculture will contribute to food security and economic growth,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development.

ETG plans to engage 600,000 smallholder farmers by 2027, with a 25 percent target for women farmers. This includes training on sustainable farming and improved access to resources. The project is expected to boost exports from Bank regional member countries and enhance intra-regional trade, particularly within the Economic Community of West African States, Southern African Development Community, and East African Community regional economic blocks.

The Bank's investment in ETG capitalizes on the Group’s proven track record and resilience in agriculture, aiming to mobilize private sector financing into a critical yet underserved sector of the economy. ETG will manage the project, with oversight from the company’s Board of Directors and support from specialized departments within the Group.

The project aligns with the Bank's ‘High 5’ priorities, specifically "Feed Africa," "Integrate Africa," and "Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa," as well as the Bank's Ten-Year Strategy 2024-2033. It is expected to contribute to Africa's agricultural transformation into a business-oriented and commercially viable sector, driving the continent's food self-sufficiency.

“By partnering with ETG, the African Development Bank continues to champion strategic enterprises that operate across multiple countries, furthering its mission to support agricultural development and improve the livelihoods of millions across the continent. The decision to continue funding ETG is just not a financial transaction. It is a strategic collaboration with a purpose - a mission to transform African agriculture and a commitment to optimize the influence of their investments, “said Richard Ofori-Mante, Director of the Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department at the Bank.

“By tying loan conditions to performance indicators related to sustainability, ETG is more likely to engage in activities that advance the Sustainable Development Goals. This alignment will drive better environmental, social, and governance outcomes. The transaction not only promotes sustainable practices within ETG's operations but also influences its supply chain and partners, amplifying the impact on sustainable development,” Ofori-Mante added.

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