Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping trade in Africa – curbing illicit financial flows, driving growth and boosting market opportunities.
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), will host the 2025 Afreximbank Compliance Forum (ACF2025) from 12 – 14 November 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda.
Held under the theme “Better Compliance – Better Trade: Embracing AI to Promote and Secure Trade Through a Modern AML/CFT Compliance Framework”, the Forum will focus on how AI is enabling faster risk assessments, advancing fraud detection, streamlining due diligence, and real-time monitoring of cross-border transactions. These innovations are tackling financial crime, enhancing transparency and building secure compliance systems to expand trade across Africa and into global markets.
Dr George Elombi, Executive Vice-President, Governance, Legal and Corporate Services and Incoming President, Afreximbank, said: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not the future of compliance, it is already shaping the present. Once considered a regulatory cost it is now recognised as a strategic driver of trade and economic growth. Robust compliance frameworks help ensure legal and regulatory alignment and reassure trade partners of integrity in business. This creates fairer competition, improves access to finance, and strengthens Africa’s integration into the global economy. Our partnership with the National Bank of Rwanda for ACF2025 reflects a shared commitment to advancing innovation in compliance, safeguarding financial integrity, and promoting the sustainable growth of African trade. Together, we are committed to equipping financial institutions and regulators with the knowledge, tools, and partnerships they need to balance innovation with strong governance—ensuring a secure, transparent, and competitive trading environment for the continent.”
Hon. Soraya M. Hakuziyaremye, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, said: “At the National Bank of Rwanda, we consider compliance as the cornerstone of financial stability, trust, and sustainable growth. By aligning with international best practices and leveraging innovations such as artificial intelligence, we are reinforcing the integrity of our market, deepening investor confidence, and strengthening Rwanda’s standing as a trusted partner in global trade. Hosting the Afreximbank Compliance Forum 2025 in Kigali is a testament to Rwanda’s leadership and Africa’s collective commitment to harnessing technology, safeguarding our financial systems, and unlocking the continent’s vast trade potential. Our collaboration with Afreximbank reflects a shared vision to advance modern compliance standards that not only meet global benchmarks but also address Africa’s unique trade realities.”
This year’s Forum is expected to attract diverse participants ranging from central bankers, global and regional regulators, commercial bankers, legal advisers, compliance officers, trade-focused specialists, financial institutions, development partners, Fintechs and technology specialists, auditors, and financial intelligence agencies from across the Africa and other parts of the world.
Key themes at ACF2025 will include:
- The integration of artificial intelligence in compliance and its impact on the effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) measures,
- Insights from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on digital transformation,
- Lessons learned from African countries successfully exiting the FATF grey list,
- Strategies for detecting Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML),
- Best practices in correspondent banking and
- Case studies showcasing the application of AI in customer onboarding and real-time monitoring.
Attendance at last year’s Compliance Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, more than doubled compared to the previous year, underscoring the rising priority of compliance in unlocking trade and growth opportunities. ACF2024 brought together delegates from 36 countries and featured 25 expert global and regional speakers.
ACF2025 builds on Afreximbank’s leadership in trade-related compliance and its investment in AI-powered platforms that streamline client onboarding, enable real-time risk monitoring, and ensure secure transaction processing.
