Yemisi Izuora
Access Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Africa–Caribbean economic collaboration at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025.
During the event, Sunmbo Olatunji, Chief Executive Officer, The Caribbean Expansion at Access Bank, underscored the importance of leveraging Africa’s demographic advantage, strategic resources, and diaspora linkages to create new pathways for sustainable growth. She spoke on “The Global Africa We Want: Business Collaboration Without Borders”.
“The Global Africa we want is one without borders in spirit, vision, or opportunity, an Africa where our youth, diaspora, and private sector drive collaboration that makes us a central player in the global economy,” she stated.
Olatunji, identified key sectors with the greatest potential for cross-border collaboration, including agriculture and food security, the creative and cultural industries, sustainable tourism, and technology and digital innovation.
“Africa and the Caribbean are natural partners. By combining Africa’s scale with Caribbean expertise and diaspora networks, we can unlock value chains in agriculture, export our culture more effectively, and create unique tourism and digital innovation ecosystems,” she added.
Olatunji further stressed that the private sector must play a pivotal role in building resilience and driving inclusive growth across regions. She noted that financial institutions have a responsibility to provide platforms that enable trade, simplify remittances, and support entrepreneurs.
“At Access Bank, we see ourselves not just as bankers, but as connectors of opportunities. Our Caribbean expansion reflects a clear commitment to link Africa’s dynamic economies with diaspora wealth and expertise, unlocking a future of shared prosperity,” she said.
The IATF 2025, organised by the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union, serves as a premier platform to accelerate intra-African trade, strengthen Africa–Caribbean economic partnerships, and showcase investment opportunities across the continent.