Ecobank Group has been recognised as Africa's Best Bank for Trade Finance at the Global Finance Trade Finance & Supply Chain Finance Awards 2025, an accolade that recognises the bank's role in facilitating intra-African and global trade.

Operating across 33 African countries, Ecobank has distinguished itself through a comprehensive suite of trade finance solutions - including structured trade and commodity finance, supply chain finance, and notably, an extensive and efficient use of letters of credit (L/Cs).

Central L/C role

Ecobank's L/Cs have played a crucial role in enabling businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to engage in cross-border transactions with greater confidence and reduced risk.

The bank's Single Market Trade Hub provides clients with tailored support, including processing of trade documents, appropriate credit facilities, and supplier financing across key African trade corridors.

L/Cs have been central to this offering, providing secure payment mechanisms that help bridge trust gaps between importers and exporters. This has enhanced liquidity, mitigated risk, and promoted trade flows across diverse sectors.

More Ecobank plaudits

In addition to the banking group's continental accolade, Ecobank's affiliates in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Rwanda were individually named as the Best Trade Finance Providers in their respective countries.

These additional honours, also conferred on the affiliates at the Global Finance Trade Finance & Supply Chain Finance Awards 2025, underscore the bank's consistent performance in delivering reliable and innovative trade finance services throughout the region.

This article represents the views of the author and not necessarily those of the ICC or Coastline Solutions.