Who is drawing Africa's new trade finance map?

Who is drawing Africa's new trade finance map?

Africa’s trade finance landscape is shifting in ways that challenge long held assumptions. In this episode, Carter Hoffman speaks with Eugene Bempong Nyantakyi and Lamin Drammeh from the African Development Bank to unpack the findings of the Bank’s latest survey, the only systematic view of how African banks are supporting trade on the ground. They discuss why unmet demand has fallen from an estimated one hundred and twenty billion dollars a decade ago to seventy four billion today, even through a pandemic and a period of severe supply chain stress. The conversation explores how African banks have stepped into spaces international lenders left behind, why default rates do not justify the risk perceptions applied to small businesses, and what the data reveals about the parts of the market that remain invisible. The discussion also turns to the pressures that could reverse recent gains. Foreign exchange liquidity constraints are rising, the dollar still dominates invoice flows, and global regulatory changes may tighten the room for international banks to operate. Drammeh and Nyantakyi reflect on the growth of regional banking groups, the role of PAPSS in reducing the cost of cross border payments, and the practical consequences when small firms are turned away or choose not to apply at all. Through stories such as a Mauritanian fishing business transformed by access to finance, the episode brings the data to life and asks whether the continent’s new financial cartographers can hold their ground when the next disruption arrives.

Fess up time: Is digital trade finally changing?

The latest episode brings Oswald Kuyler back to TTP Studios, five years after he first used an avocado to illustrate the absurd volume of paperwork behind a simple shipment. This conversation picks up where that moment left off, exploring what has genuinely changed in digital trade and why progress on legal reform has not yet translated into day‑to‑day reality. As Kuyler notes, “On the legal reform side, things have actually gone considerably well,” yet the harder problem of system compatibility still holds the industry back. The discussion cuts through the noise with clear, practical insights on platforms, digital identity, and the real barriers that stop businesses from working digitally at scale. The episode also delves into the Asian Development Bank’s push for a new approach built around the save button rather than another platform. Kuyler explains why the future depends on embedding structured, verifiable trade documents directly into the tools used by 160 million businesses, and why collaboration with 140 global technology firms is now the critical path to scale. From the rise of agentic AI to the coming milestones in 2026 and beyond, this is a grounded, forward‑looking conversation about what it will take for digital trade to finally deliver on its promise.

The wheel of risk: Navigating geopolitical transition and the future of trade

As global power dynamics shift and economic uncertainty reshapes trade flows, understanding geopolitical risk has become a business imperative. In this episode of Trade Treasury Payments, we explore how political transitions, strategic competition, economic fragmentation and regional conflicts are influencing the future of global commerce. From changing trade corridors and supply chain resilience to sanctions, regulation and market volatility, our guests examine the forces redefining international trade and what they mean for businesses operating across borders. Join us for an insightful discussion on navigating risk in an increasingly complex world. We unpack the interconnected challenges facing corporates, financial institutions and policymakers, while highlighting the opportunities emerging from a rapidly evolving global landscape. Whether you work in trade, treasury, payments or risk management, this episode offers valuable perspectives to help you stay informed, adapt with confidence and make better decisions in a period of profound geopolitical transition.

The missing rails behind the $2.5 trillion trade finance gap

The latest episode explores the structural pressures behind the two point five trillion dollar trade finance gap and why the industry’s long‑standing explanations no longer hold. Drawing on insights from Ayo Ojerinola, Founder and CEO of NOBO Finance, the discussion looks at why SMEs remain locked out of essential capital even when they are creditworthy. As Ojerinola notes, “the cost of compliance and due diligence stays the same,” a reality that makes smaller transactions economically unviable and leaves many businesses unable to scale or compete. The conversation then turns to the deeper issues shaping emerging markets, from fragmented data and misaligned regulatory frameworks to the absence of interoperable digital infrastructure. With intra African trade still at fourteen per cent, the episode examines the missing rails that prevent capital from flowing where it is most needed and why interoperability and scalable architecture are central to building a more inclusive global trading system. It is a clear, grounded look at the barriers that persist and the opportunities that remain within reach when the right foundations are in place.

Premeditated Industrial Destruction: Is energy policy throttling UK industry?

Is the UK deliberately pricing its own industries out of existence? In this video, we examine the growing debate around Britain’s energy policies, industrial competitiveness, and the long-term consequences of Net Zero legislation. Drawing on arguments presented in the Great British Business Council’s report Premeditated Industrial Destruction, the discussion explores how rising energy costs, carbon taxes, regulatory pressures, and increasing reliance on imported fuel may be impacting sectors such as steel, chemicals, manufacturing, cement, and heavy industry. We break down the economic, political, and strategic questions surrounding UK energy policy, including claims that deindustrialisation is weakening domestic production, reducing investment, and shifting emissions overseas rather than reducing them globally. Whether you agree or disagree with the report’s conclusions, this conversation offers an in-depth look at one of the most controversial issues facing Britain’s economy today. Watch, share your thoughts in the comments, and subscribe for more analysis on trade, energy, industry, and economic policy.