London, UK — August 11, 2025: Dean Adansi, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana International Bank (GHIB), has outlined a bold financing strategy aimed at transforming Africa’s commodity trade from raw exports to value-added products. Speaking at the GHIB CONVERGE 2025 conference in London, Adansi emphasized that Africa’s current export model is costing the continent billions in lost earnings and industrial potential.
Adansi highlighted that Africa’s share of global trade remains below three percent, largely due to a persistent trade finance gap. “Interest rates in many African countries are significantly higher than in the West, making it difficult for smaller entities to access the capital needed for export or local industrialization,” he told the BBC in an interview.
He stressed that structural issues—such as shallow capital markets, expensive working capital, and limited infrastructure—are stifling growth. According to Adansi, closing the estimated US$80 billion trade finance gap in sub-Saharan Africa could generate an additional US$133 billion in GDP annually.
Operating from London for 65 years, GHIB is partnering with local financial institutions across West Africa to build capacity and attract international lenders. This approach aims to create a sustainable ecosystem where local banks can support SMEs and smaller exporters.
GHIB’s operational data supports its ambitions. Over the past five years, the bank has facilitated over US$14 billion in trade flows, including US$10.6 billion in documentary trade collections and US$2.7 billion in primary trade finance. In 2024 alone, downstream payments to West Africa exceeded US$8.5 billion.
Adansi identified financing as the main bottleneck to processing. “Traditional banking products are rarely designed to support multi-year investment cycles in processing,” he said. He cited a missed US$10 million onion contract for Senegal that was fulfilled by European suppliers due to African producers’ inability to secure processing finance.
GHIB’s plan includes specialized instruments such as: Pre-export financing tied to off-take agreements, Inventory financing against stored commodities, Equipment leasing to reduce upfront capital needs, and Economic Potential and Infrastructure Needs.
Research presented at the conference suggests that increasing Africa’s share of value-added exports from 14% to 25% could yield over US$50 billion in annual revenue and create millions of jobs. Ghana’s recent gains in cocoa processing and gold refining were cited as successful examples.
However, Adansi warned that progress depends on parallel infrastructure improvements, including reliable electricity, modern transport networks, and skilled labor. He also noted that tax regimes and export licensing rules often favor raw exports over processed goods.
Adansi pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a strategic opportunity to build regional processing hubs. He also advocated for digital platforms and blockchain to improve market access and traceability, enabling African processors to command premium prices.
Environmental finance, including carbon markets and sustainability-linked instruments, could further support the shift. “Sustainably processed commodities increasingly earn higher prices,” Adansi noted.
GHIB’s strategy relies on partnerships with commercial banks, development finance institutions, and governments. Pilot projects in select sectors will demonstrate the viability of scaling up value chains across the continent.
“If we can build value chains that keep more of the processing on African soil, the gains will be felt not just in GDP, but in livelihoods,” Adansi concluded.