UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit 2025
📅 12 September 2025 | The Royal Horseguards Hotel & One Whitehall Place, London
📍 2 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EJ
The “Financial Connectivity & Inclusive Trade” dialogue at the 15th UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit brought together leaders from banking, compliance, and trade institutions — Irene Mutyaba Kabiri (Absa Bank Uganda), Dr. Graham Bright JP (Euro Exim Bank Ltd), and Dr. Ilona Karpanos (Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce).
Together, they presented a unified vision for financial resilience, trade transparency, and institutional collaboration between the UK and Africa. Their shared message was clear:
“To unlock Africa’s full trade potential, capital must move with trust, compliance must enable — not hinder — growth, and chambers of commerce must convert dialogue into practical deal flow.”
Irene Mutyaba Kabiri, Corporate Banking Director at Absa Bank Uganda, positioned financial inclusion as both an economic and social imperative. She highlighted how Absa’s integrated insurance–banking framework enables scalable lending for small businesses, women-led enterprises, and agribusinesses.
“Insurance isn’t just protection; it’s what unlocks affordable finance. When we de-risk lending, we empower production.” – Irene Mutyaba Kabiri
She noted that insurance-backed finance and digital innovation are expanding access to credit — transforming Uganda into a model for sustainable, inclusive banking across Africa.
Dr. Graham Bright JP, Head of Compliance and Operations at Euro Exim Bank Ltd, reframed compliance as a strategic enabler rather than a constraint to trade growth.
“The goal of compliance is not to say ‘no’ — it’s to create secure, transparent ways to say ‘yes.’” – Dr. Graham Bright JP
He explained that many African exporters face exclusion from global trade due to fragmented data and weak documentation systems. Euro Exim Bank is addressing this challenge through blockchain and AI technologies to enhance verification, reduce transaction friction, and enable faster, more transparent SME trade finance.
Dr. Bright further advocated for trust frameworks between UK and African institutions to enhance regulatory clarity and investor confidence.
Dr. Ilona Karpanos, International Trade & Economic Development Manager at the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, called for a decisive shift from policy dialogue to practical engagement.
“Less talking, more doing — that’s how we build credible, investable relationships.” – Dr. Ilona Karpanos
She urged the creation of structured B2B partnerships and regional chamber collaborations to accelerate trade facilitation and capacity-building. Chambers of Commerce, she noted, act as trusted intermediaries — bridging exporters, investors, and governments through training, compliance support, and deal matchmaking.
Together, the panelists proposed a Pan-African Financial Connectivity Framework based on three pillars:
This framework complements Uganda’s broader national strategy — led by figures like Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa and Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba — which aligns financial inclusion, energy efficiency, and macroeconomic stability within a unified model of growth.
Africa’s trade transformation depends not only on capital but on connectivity and confidence. With Absa Bank Uganda pioneering inclusive finance, Euro Exim Bank advancing compliance innovation, and Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce strengthening institutional bridges, the UK–Africa partnership is entering a new era of delivery and impact.
“Finance without inclusion is fragile. Trade without compliance is risky. Collaboration without trust is impossible. Together, they create the foundation for sustainable growth.”
