Business Reporter
THE African Export-Import Bank has called on regional and international buyers to move beyond symbolic engagements and establish concrete supply contracts with local manufacturers.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Harare leg of the 2026 African Buyers Forum—held as part of Zimbabwe Export Week — Afreximbank representative Mr Ebuka Okaja urged participating buyers and suppliers to adopt a strict commercial mindset focused on converting business interactions into finalised purchase orders.
Mr Okaja, an assistant manager at Afreximbank, serves as a core consultant and coordinator for the bank’s African Buyers Programme, where he leads initiatives connecting qualified regional buyers with suppliers.
The Harare session follows the opening leg of the forum held earlier this week in Bulawayo, where international buyers undertook direct site visits to assess local manufacturing facilities, production capacity, and quality standards.
“Africa does not lack opportunities to trade with itself and with the global market,” Mr Okaja told attendees. “What we need is to continue creating the connections, confidence and commercial structures that allow those opportunities to become real business.”
Jointly led by Afreximbank and ZimTrade since 2024, the African Buyers Forum operates as a strategic ecosystem linking African manufacturers, importers, and global distributors.
The initiative aims to expand intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework by encouraging cross-border sourcing within the continent.
Addressing local producers, Mr Okaja emphasised that technical capacity, competitive pricing and quality assurance remain central to securing international procurement contracts.
“Do not just tell buyers what you produce,” Mr Okaja said. “Help them understand why your products are competitive, your available production capacity, your pricing, delivery timelines and your ability to meet the requirements of respective markets.”
Buyers were also urged to view themselves as trade ambassadors who can facilitate broader distribution channels, even when direct procurement is not immediately feasible. To ensure long-term commercial impact, Afreximbank plans to establish structured follow-up mechanisms for promising business leads generated across both Bulawayo and Harare.
“We don’t want to return with only photographs and business cards,” Mr Okaja noted.
“We want to return with opportunities, business, engagements and trade.”
The Harare event featured buyer presentations, B2B matchmaking sessions and guided tours of selected local companies.
Activities for Zimbabwe Export Week 2026 will continue through Friday, concluding with the annual ZimTrade Exporter of the Year Awards in Harare.
Stanbic Bank is the primary sponsor of the event, with Zimpapers serving as the official media partner.
