Architect of Africa’s Trade Renaissance
By Oluchi Obiahu
Pan-African Women’s Day is celebrated on July 31st each year. It is a day to commemorate the first Pan-African Women’s Conference held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in 1962, which led to the formation of the Pan-African Women’s Organization (PAWO).
On this Pan‑African Women’s Day, we honor Kanayo Awani, – the Executive Vice President of the Intra-African Trade Bank at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Kanayo is a banking executive, an architect of Africa’s economic renaissance. A true leader, we can tag her as one who turns negotiating tables into trade highways and driving industries into action. She is a blueprint for African women architects shaping finance, industry, and the future of our continent.
The Force: Kanayo Awani
Kanayo Awani’s path to becoming a titan of African trade began in Nigeria, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Estate Management from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. Her intellectual curiosity led her to Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where she secured a Master of Public Administration in International Trade and Finance, earning the prestigious Edward S. Mason Fellowship in Public Policy and Management. Awani honed her leadership with credentials from elite institutions: a Leadership Transition Programme Certificate from INSEAD in 2014, an Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme Certificate from Saïd Business School in 2016, and an IMD High Performance Board Certificate in 2020. These milestones carved her into a strategist navigating the complex currents of global finance with precision.
“Africa’s wealth is not just in its resources but in the ingenuity of its people. Our job is to unlock that potential and build systems that let it thrive.” – Kanayo Awani
Career Journey
Awani’s professional odyssey began in 1990 at Citigroup Nigeria, where she spent 17 years climbing the ranks to Vice President and Head of Industrial and Commercial Corporates. There, she forged partnerships with multinationals and local giants, mastering trade services, operations, and corporate banking. In 2009, she joined Afreximbank, a Pan-African institution dedicated to unlocking the continent’s trade potential. As Director of Trade Finance and Branches, she transformed the department into a profit engine, laying the groundwork for her ascent. By 2016, she was appointed Managing Director of the Intra-African Trade Initiative, and in 2022, she became Executive Vice President of the Intra-African Trade Bank (INAT), driving intra-African trade and industrialization in alignment with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Awani played a pivotal role in the AfCFTA negotiations, culminating in the historic signing in Kigali in March 2018. Her vision has propelled Afreximbank’s growth, expanding its assets from $1.4 billion in 2009 to $40 billion by 2024. Between 2016 and 2022, the bank disbursed $86 billion to strengthen African economies, a feat Awani helped orchestrate. Her bold initiatives include the Intra-African Trade Champions programme, which has empowered African businesses to secure $10 billion in contracts, elevating “Made in Africa” to a global standard. The Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), a cornerstone of her legacy, drew 32,541 visitors from 128 countries in 2021, sealing $42 billion in deals. Awani’s push for industrialization has spurred the creation of Industrial Parks and Export Processing Zones.
During the COVID-19 crisis, she led efforts to harmonize pharmaceutical standards, bolstering Africa’s resilience. The Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), backed by a $1 billion facility, has amplified the continent’s cultural and creative industries, from fashion to film.
Her Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), adopted by the African Union, has streamlined cross-border transactions, turbocharging AfCFTA’s impact. The African Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme has eased trade barriers, while the $10 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund and $4 billion Ukraine Crisis Adjustment Trade Financing Program (UKAFPA) have shielded African economies from global shocks. Awani’s influence extends beyond Africa. She has championed Africa-Caribbean trade and the African Union’s Sixth Region agenda, fostering diaspora engagement through Afreximbank’s Diaspora Strategy and the Africa Diaspora Center in New York. At the 2025 African Mining Indaba, she declared Africa’s critical minerals a “springboard for industrialization,” advocating for value addition to transform raw resources into engines of growth.
“Trade is the lifeblood of Africa’s future. When we connect our markets, we don’t just move goods, we move dreams, opportunities, and progress.-Kanayo Awani
“Don’t wait for permission to lead. Step into your purpose with courage, and the world will catch up.”-Kanayo Awani
Overcoming Challenges And A Cascade Of Honors
Awani’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. “Gaining due recognition for my contributions was my biggest challenge,” she shared, noting that women often work tirelessly but are overlooked as “ready.” She overcame this through persistence, faith, and strategic networking, learning that “visibility and positioning matter as much as talent.” Her first boss at Citibank, Mrs. Imo Oyewole, was a guiding force, blending high expectations with empathy. Mentors like Ade Ayeyemi and Foluke Aboderin-Alakija shaped her path, urging excellence. Awani’s advice to women resonates: “Hard work, tenacity, and faith in God will take you further than you can imagine. Stay grounded in your values.”
Awani’s impact has earned her a slew of accolades:
- 2020: Named among the Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent by MIPAD.
- 2022: Celebrated as one of Nigeria’s 100 Leading Women.
- 2022: Received the Africa Financial Industry Summit (AFIS) Woman Leader Award for her AfCFTA contributions.
- 2023: Featured in Forbes Africa’s Top 50 Most Influential Women.
- 2023: Honored with the African Economic Integration Champion Award at the Africa Economy Builders Forum.
- 2023: Awarded the Empowering Women Award at the Rebranding Africa Forum.
- 2024: Recognized as the African Inspirational Personality of the Year by the Africa Women Impact Summit.
- 2024: Received the African Diaspora Advisory Board (ADAB) Global Woman Award for advancing intra-African trade.
- 2024: Named a “Titan of Industry” by the African Union Sixth Region Global (AU6RG).
As Chairperson of the Africa Chapter OF Factors Chain International (FCT), elected in 2023 and re-elected in 2025, Awani has driven the adoption of factoring laws in 10 African countries, fortifying the continent’s financial framework.
A Pan-African Icon
On this Pan-African Women’s Day, Kanayo Awani stands as a mark of harmony. She has challenged Africa to claim its rightful place in global trade, rejecting a world where a continent with 18% of the global population accounts for just 3% of trade. Her leadership has transformed Afreximbank into a catalyst for change, ensuring Africa’s resources empower its people.
Join her on July 28–29, 2025, at the Radisson Conference Centre in St. George’s, Grenada, for the 4th Annual AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum, themed “Resilience and Transformation: Enhancing Africa-Caribbean Economic Cooperation in an Era of Global Uncertainty.” Her distinct journey is characterised by bold determination, sharp insight, and a relentless drive to uplift Africa.
