Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming trade in Africa by curbing illicit financial flows, fostering growth, and creating new market opportunities.
In partnership with the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) will host the 2025 Afreximbank Compliance Forum (ACF2025) from November 12–14, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda.
The Forum will be held under the theme “Better Compliance – Better Trade: Embracing AI to Promote and Secure Trade Through a Modern AML/CFT Compliance Framework.” It will explore how AI is revolutionizing risk assessments, improving fraud detection, simplifying due diligence processes, and enabling real-time monitoring of cross-border transactions. These innovations are combating financial crime, enhancing transparency, and building secure compliance systems that expand trade within Africa and into global markets.
Dr. George Elombi, Executive Vice-President for Governance, Legal, and Corporate Services and Incoming President of Afreximbank, emphasized: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a vision for the future of compliance; it is already shaping the present. Once viewed as a regulatory burden, it is now recognized as a strategic catalyst for trade and economic growth. Robust compliance frameworks ensure legal and regulatory alignment, reassuring trade partners of business integrity. This fosters fairer competition, improves access to finance, and strengthens Africa’s integration into the global economy. Our partnership with the National Bank of Rwanda for ACF2025 reflects our mutual commitment to driving innovation in compliance, safeguarding financial integrity, and promoting the sustainable growth of African trade. Together, we aim to equip financial institutions and regulators with the knowledge, tools, and partnerships necessary to balance innovation with strong governance, ensuring a secure, transparent, and competitive trading environment across the continent.”
Hon. Soraya M. Hakuziyaremye, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, added: “At the National Bank of Rwanda, we view compliance as the cornerstone of financial stability, trust, and sustainable growth. By aligning with international best practices and embracing technological innovations like artificial intelligence, we are bolstering the integrity of our market, enhancing investor confidence, and positioning Rwanda as a reliable partner in global trade. Hosting the Afreximbank Compliance Forum 2025 in Kigali underscores Rwanda’s leadership and Africa’s collective commitment to leveraging technology, safeguarding our financial systems, and unlocking the continent’s vast trade potential. Our partnership with Afreximbank reflects our shared vision of advancing modern compliance standards that not only meet global benchmarks but also address Africa’s unique trade dynamics.”
The Forum is expected to draw a diverse audience, including central bankers, global and regional regulators, commercial bankers, legal advisers, compliance officers, trade experts, financial institutions, development partners, Fintechs, technology specialists, auditors, and financial intelligence agencies from across Africa and beyond.
Key topics at ACF2025 will cover:
- The role of artificial intelligence in compliance and its impact on the effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) measures,
- Insights from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on digital transformation,
- Lessons learned from African countries successfully exiting the FATF grey list,
- Strategies for detecting Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML),
- Best practices in correspondent banking, and
- Case studies showcasing the application of AI in customer onboarding and real-time monitoring.
Attendance at last year’s Compliance Forum, held in Dakar, Senegal, more than doubled compared to the previous year, highlighting the growing importance of compliance in unlocking trade and growth opportunities. ACF2024 brought together delegates from 36 countries and featured 25 expert speakers from around the world
ACF2025 will build on Afreximbank’s leadership in trade-related compliance and its investment in AI-powered platforms that streamline client onboarding, enable real-time risk monitoring, and ensure secure transaction processing.
Attendees can register for the Afreximbank Compliance Forum via the following link: acf2025.com.
