Kanayo Awani is a trailblazer in African trade finance pioneering transformative initiatives like AfCFTA, industrial zones, and continent-wide trade programs.
From her Citigroup roots to leading Afreximbank’s INAT division, she exemplifies visionary leadership.
Her influence is affirmed through multiple awards, global recognition, and a legacy of economic empowerment across Africa.
Kanayo Awani Biography
Kanayo Awani is a Nigerian national educated at the University of Nigeria, earning a B.Sc. in Estate Management. She then obtained a Master’s in Public Administration (International Trade & Finance) from Harvard Kennedy School, where she was honored with the prestigious Edward S. Mason Fellowship.
She further honed her leadership skills with programs at INSEAD (2014), Oxford SAID Business School (2016), and IMD (2020).
Career & Professional Rise
Citigroup Nigeria (1990-2008)
Awani began her career at Citigroup Nigeria, navigating Trade Services, Corporate Finance, and Corporate Banking. She eventually served as Vice President, leading Industrial & Commercial Corporate relationships.
Afreximbank (2009-Present)
- Joined as Assistant Director, Trade Finance & Branches, transforming it into a highly profitable division.
- In May 2016, appointed Managing Director of Intra-African Trade Initiative, key to supporting the AfCFTA negotiations and executing the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Cairo (2018) and Durban (2021), generating over US$42 billion in deals.
- Elevated to Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank (INAT) on July 1, 2022, overseeing all intra-African trade financing.
Under her leadership:
- Intra-African trade finance contribution rose from ~3% to nearly 28% by end-2021, with US$20 billion disbursed over five years.
- Pioneered initiatives like Intra-African Trade Champions, Creative Africa Nexus (US $1 billion fund), industrial parks, export processing zones, pharmaceutical standards harmonization, and the African Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme.
Achievements & Recognition
- Named Woman Leader at the 2022 Africa Financial Industry Summit (AFIS).
- Featured among Nigeria’s 100 Leading Women (2022).
- Honored by MIPAD as a “Top 100 Most Influential Person of African Descent (2020)” and Forbes Africa’s Top 50 Women (2023).
- Received the Africa Economic Integration Champion Award (2023) at the Africa Economy Builders Forum in Abidjan.
- Awarded the African Diaspora Advisory Board Global Woman Award (2024) in Washington, D.C.
Impact & Influence
Through her vision, Afreximbank has disbursed over US$40 billion since 2016 to support intra-African trade. Awani has actively championed initiatives like the PAPSS payment corridor, AfCFTA adjustments, industrial zones, and diaspora trade facilitation.
Personal Attributes & Leadership Style
Described as visionary, collaborative, and deeply committed to Africa’s economic sovereignty, Awani is a recognized authority on pan-African integration, innovation in trade finance, and women’s empowerment in business.
Net Worth & Professional Status
Her financial details are private, but as a senior Afreximbank executive with decades of international experience, her compensation and professional standing place her among Africa’s elite banking leaders.
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