Press Corp, Afreximbank Launch ATDC Malawi

Press Corporation Plc has partnered with the Africa Trade and Distribution Company (ATDC), a subsidiary of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), to establish ATDC Malawi, a new national trade and distribution platform designed to strengthen Malawi’s trade ecosystem and expand access to regional and international markets.

The agreement was signed in Alamein, Egypt, on the sidelines of the Afreximbank Board Meetings. ATDC Chief Operating Officer Nikhil Poonevala signed on behalf of ATDC, while Dr. Ronald Mangani, Group Chief Executive Officer of Press Corporation Plc, signed on behalf of the Malawian conglomerate.

ATDC Malawi will focus on commodity trading, aggregation, warehousing, exports, strategic imports, structured trade finance, collateral management, cold-chain development, logistics infrastructure, value addition and trade intelligence. The platform is expected to strengthen Malawi’s agricultural and manufacturing value chains, improve logistics efficiency and create new market opportunities for local businesses.

The Malawi initiative forms part of Afreximbank’s broader strategy to establish national trade and distribution platforms across Africa. Zimbabwe has also joined the programme through a partnership between ATDC and CBZ Agro Yield, while Egypt became the first country to establish a National ATDC earlier this year. Afreximbank plans to operationalise seven national ATDC platforms by the end of 2026.

The new platforms are intended to address persistent challenges facing African producers and exporters, including fragmented markets, limited access to trade finance, inadequate logistics and warehousing infrastructure, and insufficient market intelligence. By aggregating supply and connecting producers with buyers across the continent, ATDC aims to help businesses—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—take advantage of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

According to Afreximbank’s 2026 Africa Trade Report, Africa’s merchandise trade expanded by 6.1 percent to approximately US$1.5 trillion, while intra-African trade increased by 5.5 percent to around US$213.8 billion. However, the report notes that financing gaps, infrastructure deficits and limited value addition continue to constrain the continent’s trade potential.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, said the launch of the Zimbabwe and Malawi platforms marked another milestone in the bank’s efforts to build the trade infrastructure needed to drive Africa’s economic transformation.

She said the partnerships would connect African producers to markets, facilitate access to trade finance and promote value addition, laying the foundation for increased exports, industrialisation and sustainable economic growth across the continent.

ATDC Chief Executive Officer Stewart Makura said the new national platforms would combine local market expertise with ATDC’s pan-African trading network to help producers overcome challenges related to scale, logistics and market access.

He said the entities would serve as practical platforms for implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area by supporting regional value chains, promoting value addition and enhancing cross-border trade.

For Malawi, Dr. Ronald Mangani, Group Chief Executive Officer of Press Corporation Plc, said the partnership would combine Press Corporation’s local commercial expertise with ATDC’s continental trading network.

Mangani said ATDC Malawi would support the aggregation, processing and movement of Malawian products into regional and global markets while helping to develop the infrastructure and trade services needed to make Malawi more competitive.

The signing ceremony was attended by senior executives from Afreximbank, ATDC, Press Corporation Plc and CBZ Agro Yield, including Prof. Benedict Oramah, Chairman of the ATDC Board, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank and ATDC Board Member, Eng. Hani Sonbol, Chief Executive Officer of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) and Director of ATDC, together with directors of Press Corporation Plc.

The establishment of ATDC Malawi is expected to play a significant role in boosting Malawi’s export capacity, improving value addition, attracting investment into trade infrastructure and enabling local businesses to access new regional and international markets.