The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced that it successfully raised over $800 million from international markets in 2025. This achievement comes despite concerns previously raised by global rating agencies.

The bank disclosed these details in a statement on Thursday, providing insights into its 2025 financial performance. The funds were raised through Samurai and Panda bond issuances, targeting markets in Japan and China respectively.

Afreximbank stated that this successful fundraising highlights its resilience and strong access to global capital markets. The bank emphasized its ability to access international bond markets by raising over $800 million from Japan and China through Samurai and Panda bonds in 2025, contrary to concerns raised by some rating agencies during the year.

This demonstrates the Group’s fund-raising capabilities and the solid nature of the Bank’s DNA as a pan-African multilateral financial institution. The bank noted that this achievement underscores its commitment to supporting Africa’s economic growth and self-reliance.

The fundraising effort took place amid a prolonged disagreement between Afreximbank and Fitch Ratings concerning the bank's credit assessment. In January 2026, Afreximbank officially terminated its rating relationship with Fitch Ratings.

This dispute followed Fitch’s decision in June 2025 to downgrade the bank’s long-term rating from BBB to BBB- with a negative outlook. Fitch cited concerns regarding the bank’s exposure to sovereign borrowers, including countries like Ghana, Zambia, and South Sudan.

Additionally, the agency raised issues concerning the classification of non-performing loans (NPLs). Fitch estimated NPLs at 7.1%, a figure notably higher than Afreximbank’s reported 2.3%. The disagreement reflects broader concerns about sovereign risk exposure across African markets.