ABUJA, Nigeria, CMC 鈥 The acting head of the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in the Caribbean, Okechukwu Ihejirika, says he remains confident that scheduled flights between Africa and the Caribbean region could soon become a reality.
Afreximbank is encouraging Caribbean businesses to showcase their goods and services at the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) in Algiers in September, and Ihejirika, who is head of Afreximbank鈥檚 Barbados-based Caribbean office, said that the financial institution is exploring the possibility of a direct flight between the Caribbean and Algiers for IATF2025.
He, however, said that many Africans require a visa to travel through the United States or the United Kingdom, adding that it is easier for a Caribbean national to access such a visa.
IATF2025 is pitched as a unique and valuable platform for businesses to access an integrated African market of over 1.4 billion people with a gross domestic product (GD) of over US$3.5 trillion created under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Ihejirika said that Afreimbank would organise a direct flight between the Caribbean and Algiers once there is demand, noting also that a conversation about trade is also about goods and the movement of people, which includes flights.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very interesting topic. And what we see of late is more airlines now trying to talk about that possibility and coming to us as well to tell us they are interested,鈥 Ihejirika told reporters, adding that such conversations were not taking place four or five years ago.
鈥淪o, those conversations are on the table, and usually when problems are discussed on the table, the next thing that follows is the solution,鈥 Ihejirika said.
鈥淪o, I鈥檓 very optimistic that one of them, in no distant time, should have a scheduled, regular flight between Africa and the Caribbean as a first step. Because with the movement of people via that flight will also come movement of goods.鈥
He was confident that when this is proven as a viable concept, people would approach Afreximbank for financing.
Speaking on the opening day of AAM2025 on Wednesday, St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Dr. Terrance Drew noted that one of the largest aircraft to land in his twin-island Federation was the Air Peace direct flight from Ghana to Basseterre on June 12.
Air Peace, West and Central Africa鈥檚 largest airline, made a historic non-stop 10-hour flight from Nigeria to St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Boeing 777 aircraft brought delegates for the five-day Afri-Caribbean Business Expo (ACBE) in Basseterre and was the first time a Nigerian carrier has landed in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The conference was curated by Aquarian Consult, a management-consulting and human-capital-development firm based here.
Drew noted that while the flight was a charter, Afreximbank was the catalyst, adding that the flight demonstrated 鈥渉ow we can improve trade between the Caribbean and Africa.
鈥淪o even though it was catalysed and started by the Afreximbank, you can see it鈥檚 already extended beyond their Afreximbank. For this was an initiative between (Aquarian Consult]) of course, the Minister of Culture and small business in St. Kitts and Nevis,鈥 Drew said.
For IATF2025, AFreximbank has set aside a day for CARICOM, dubbed the diaspora day, 鈥渨here we have all the diasporas coming to showcase what they have.
鈥淎nd I think that鈥檚 the whole essence of that conversation,鈥 he said, acknowledging that previous editions of the fair focused on Africa only.
鈥溾 but what we are now trying to do is to create a bigger Africa-Caribbean market, where it鈥檚 no longer Africa showcasing, but it鈥檚 also Caribbean coming in to say, 鈥楾his is who we are. This is what we have to offer to the table.鈥欌
He said that together, Africa and the Caribbean constitute an even bigger market.
鈥淎nd the good thing is that once Africa is in the (room) and Caribbean comes in, it鈥檚 a case of demand meet supply, and everybody we have that vision to create a bigger market, which is something that we鈥檝e all dreamed about,鈥 Ihejirika said.
鈥淪o significantly, the AITF is playing that role, and we hope to see a lot more Caribbean participation from the last edition, when we had that in Egypt, you know, because I see a lot of positive interest, I will say, in that area, and I hope that resonates a lot more.鈥
Afreximbank is also preparing to host the Fourth Annual AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2025), from July 28 鈥 29 in St. George鈥檚, Grenada.
鈥淎CTIF for us is our convening. Is a place where we leverage on our convening power to bring in the who is who in business in Africa and the Caribbean, and it鈥檚 as simple as that,鈥 Ihejirika said.
鈥淪o ACTIF has provided that platform and is working rapidly,鈥 he said, adding that the previous editions in Barbados, Guyana and The Bahamas were 鈥渉uge successes鈥 with a collective attendance of over 6,000 people in attendance, and deals worth over US$202 billion signed.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a bold statement. So what we are now doing is to leverage on that success for the next edition,鈥 he added.
About The Author