Africa Trade Academy, premier training organization on trade in Africa and ICC Academy, the training arm of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have entered a partnership to train Africa’s financial sector stakeholders on trade finance.
The partnership between the two organizations reached in January 2026 aims to bring the ICC Academy’s flagship Certified Trade Finance Professional (CTFP) designation to the doorsteps of personnel in Africa’s trade finance sector.
According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa’s trade finance gap is estimated to be USD 100 annually and this gap is set to widen with increased intra-Africa trade based on the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) and other continental and regional trade frameworks.
The AfDB’s Africa Trade Survey 2025 found among others that staff capacity in trade finance was among the major determining factors in attracting, designing, and delivering of trade finance in Africa.
Africa Trade Academy finds the partnership with ICC Academy as beneficial as the organization works to bring expertise to African professionals to be able to both develop and structure the needed supply chain and trade financing solutions for small and medium enterprises as well as the evolving trade landscape of Africa.
The first cohort for of the ATA-ICC Academy Certified Trade Finance Professional (CTFP) will commence in April 2026.