The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has issued a US$29 million guarantee to BSMART Technology Ltd. The guarantee supports the rollout of the EAC Customs Bond, a digital system that lets traders move goods across East African borders without repeated paperwork at each crossing.
What the Guarantee Covers
The facility strengthens the financial base behind the EAC Customs Bond and helps BSMART Technology Ltd expand the platform’s reach.
Afreximbank designed the guarantee to push the region toward a digital, integrated customs system rather than one built on physical document checks at every post.
How the Digital Bond Works
Under the platform, an agent moving goods through several EAC countries completes the process online. That removes the need to submit paper documents at each border.
The change cuts processing time and reduces the delays that come with manual checks.
Rollout Across East Africa
The EAC Secretariat piloted the Customs Bond in Uganda in 2025. Rwanda and Burundi joined in January 2026, and the bloc marked an official launch at the 25th Summit of Heads of State in March 2026.
Afreximbank’s Position
Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, linked the deal to the bank’s wider push against barriers to trade within Africa.
She said the EAC Customs Bond supports the shift toward digital, simplified customs guarantees for businesses moving goods across the region, cutting costs and speeding up customs procedures for traders.
“This facility demonstrates Afreximbank’s commitment to developing practical solutions that break down the barriers to intra-African trade. With the EAC Customs Bond, we are supporting the digitisation and simplification of access to customs guarantees for businesses moving goods across the region – cutting costs and improving the efficiency of customs procedures,” Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said.
What Comes Next
Afreximbank expects the guarantee to drive wider adoption of the EAC Customs Bond across the bloc. The bank points to several outcomes: better access to capacity, fewer administrative and documentation requirements, and faster movement of goods across borders.
Officials also expect the facility to push customs processes further toward digital systems, a step Afreximbank ties to its broader goal of growing trade between African countries.
