ACCESS BANK GROUP SIGNS $500 MILLION AGREEMENT WITH IFC TO EXPAND LOCAL CURRENCY FINANCING ACROSS AFRICA

Access Holding Plc Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhueole (right) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Managing Director, Makhtar Diop sign an agreement whereby International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group will provide $500 million to Access Bank Group with an aim of deepening local currency capital markets and expand access to affordable financing for businesses across Africa, with direct implications for the markets in which the Group operates, including Tanzania.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | June 2026

The landmark World Bank Group-backed partnership directly benefits Access Bank Tanzania's customers and the broader Tanzanian business community

Access Bank PLC, one of Africa's largest financial institutions and parent company of Access Bank Tanzania, has signed a $500 million agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. The partnership is designed to deepen local currency capital markets and expand access to affordable financing for businesses across Africa, with direct implications for the markets in which the Group operates, including Tanzania.

For businesses in Tanzania, the agreement addresses a long-standing structural challenge: the difficulty of accessing financing in local currency. When businesses are forced to borrow in foreign currencies, they are exposed to exchange rate volatility that can erode margins, disrupt planning, and deter investment. By working with IFC to develop local currency financing solutions at scale, the Access Bank Group is directly responding to one of the most persistent pain points facing Tanzanian entrepreneurs, SMEs, and corporates today.

Access Bank Tanzania, which in 2025 completed the acquisition of Standard Chartered's Consumer, Private, and Business Banking operations in the country, is well positioned to channel the benefits of this Group-level partnership to its growing customer base. With branches across Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha, and Dodoma, supported by 936 Access Wakala agents and 98 BancEasy Satellite outlets, the bank has the reach to bring improved financing solutions to businesses and individuals across the country, including in communities that have historically been underserved by formal banking.

“The IFC agreement is a Group milestone, but its impact will be felt here in Tanzania,” said Imani John, Managing Director of Access Bank Tanzania. “Our customers, whether they are running a small business in Mwanza or managing a corporate operation in Dar es Salaam, need access to financing that does not expose them to currency risk. This partnership strengthens our ability to deliver exactly that, backed by the credibility and reach of the World Bank Group.”

For Tanzanian businesses looking to grow, expand regionally, or attract investment, access to reliable and affordable financing has always been a deciding factor. The IFC's involvement in this partnership brings with it not only capital but decades of expertise in developing financial markets across emerging economies. For Access Bank Tanzania's customers, that translates into a banking partner that is not only locally present but globally connected, one that can offer financing structures, market insights, and cross-border solutions that were previously out of reach for many businesses operating in this market.

The agreement adds to a period of sustained momentum for Access Bank Tanzania. Following its recognition at the Global Brand Frontier Awards 2025 as Best Bank for Acquisition Integration Excellence and Market Expansion in Tanzania, the bank continues to demonstrate that growth and responsibility can go hand in hand. With the Group's pan-African scale now amplified by IFC's global expertise and capital, Access Bank Tanzania enters the next phase of its development with greater capability to support the economic ambitions of its customers and the country.