Stanbic Bank Powers Tanzania’s Trade Ambitions

Monday, 7th April 2025

Par inAfrika Reporter

When industry leaders, financial institutions, and government representatives gathered in Dar es
Salaam for the East Africa Cargo Connect Summit 2025, it was not for ceremony. It was to measure
progress, examine structural gaps, and assess how trade across the region can be moved from vision
to velocity.

The theme, “Tanzania: Powerhouse of Connectivity – Propelling Eastern and Southern Africa’s Trade Networks into the Future”, was a clear statement of intent. The setting, Dar es Salaam, home to one of Africa’s busiest ports and an expanding multimodal logistics ecosystem, was symbolic and strategic. But beneath the high-level discussions and official speeches was a more practical question: who is financing this transformation, and how is it being structured? One answer, increasingly visible across East Africa’s logistics landscape, is Stanbic Bank Tanzania.

Financing Infrastructure, Enabling Trade
The significance of Tanzania’s logistical infrastructure in connecting East and Southern Africa is widely acknowledged. But recognition is not implementation. The hard work lies in building the capacity, financial and operational, to scale what is on the ground.

In her opening remarks, Fatma Rajabu, Chief Marketing Officer at the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), framed the challenge succinctly, “As East Africa emerges as a key player in global trade, it is essential that we leverage our geographic advantages, our growing port infrastructure, and our transport networks. But this cannot happen without efficiency, investment, and strong partnerships between public and private sectors.” That call for capital alignment echoed throughout the summit. For Stanbic Bank, the message was familiar.

In recent years, the bank has committed over USD 1 billion in financing to support Tanzania’s logistics and business ecosystem. Of that, more than USD 88 million has gone directly into Commercial Asset Finance, helping logistics operators acquire essential vehicles, machinery, and transport assets. “The objective is not simply to lend,” said Stephen Mpuya, Head of Business Solutioning at Stanbic Bank Tanzania. “It is to create structures that allow businesses to acquire what they need, equipment, fleet, warehousing capacity, without constraining their liquidity or overleveraging their balance sheets.”

Yvonne Kabadi, Senior Manager for Vehicle and Asset Finance, added a human dimension to this approach, highlighting how financing solutions are designed to unlock ownership for both businesses and households. “We understand the importance of asset ownership—whether it’s vehicles for business operations or homes for families living in remote areas,” she said. “We’ve helped many Tanzanians access these essential resources, contributing to their economic empowerment and overall quality of life.” She also noted that the bank’s role in trade extends well beyond asset financing, “Through our robust trade finance solutions—including letters of credit and guarantees—Stanbic Bank plays a vital role in enabling businesses to access both regional and international markets.

This summit is not only for importers and exporters, but for all businesses looking to scale and connect across borders.” She described Stanbic as “a bank you can rely on”—a sentiment that reflects the bank’s ongoing support for infrastructure, logistics, and trade across Tanzania.

Strategic Support Across the Trade Chain
Beyond vehicles and equipment, Stanbic has also aligned itself with major infrastructure priorities of the Tanzanian government. Among the flagship projects is the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DMGP), which aims to modernise and expand port handling capacity. Port delays and inefficiencies have long been cited as a cost burden on regional trade, particularly for landlocked neighbours such as Zambia, Rwanda, and Burundi. Stanbic’s financial support in this area is designed to improve cargo turnaround times and reduce congestion.

Another critical node is the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which, when fully operational, will offer a more efficient inland transport option, relieving pressure from road networks and lowering freight posts. In tandem with One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) that Stanbic is also co-financing, the region is steadily building a networked corridor where the handover of goods is smoother and more predictable. This is also where Stanbic’s financial approach stands out. Rather than operate solely through traditional corporate banking, the bank’s team has developed structured solutions such as vehicle and asset financing that allow operators to acquire key infrastructure without large upfront capital outlays.

“We’ve designed financing models where the asset itself becomes the security,” Mpuya explained.
“This reduces the need for additional collateral and allows businesses to deploy their other assets to
support growth, be it working capital, inventory, or expansion.” The result is a financing ecosystem that supports not only large-scale port and rail projects, but also the businesses that form the operational middle layer, freight operators, storage facilities, clearing agents, and distributors.

East Africa’s Broader Trade Future
The discussions in Dar es Salaam reflected a growing awareness that trade infrastructure is no longer
a national concern, but a regional imperative. And while government policy will shape trade
corridors, it is financial institutions that will determine whether the necessary systems materialise,
and at what pace.

Stanbic Bank’s regional partnerships reinforce this outlook. Through its relationship with ICBC, the
world’s largest bank, and its Africa-China Agent Proposition, Stanbic is enabling Tanzanian
businesses to source reliably from Chinese suppliers, access global financing instruments, and
navigate cross-border procurement with reduced risk.

The bank’s internal Africa Trade Barometer has shown growing awareness of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) among Tanzanian businesses, but also highlights a need for tailored financial support to unlock its full potential. Stanbic’s presence at platforms such as the East Africa Business Summit and the Cargo Connect Summit reflects an understanding that influence in trade is not achieved through visibility alone, but by responding to the real needs of those moving goods across the region. “We need to match our financial innovation to the ambitions of businesses trying to scale across borders,” said Mpuya. “That includes digital solutions, accessible credit, and support mechanisms that evolve with market demands.” The sentiment was echoed by Fatma Rajabu, who reminded delegates that integration will succeed or stall depending on the strength of partnerships behind it, “Collaboration, transparency, and innovation must be our guiding principles. Our success is tied not only to infrastructure on the ground, but also to the financial tools and policy frameworks that make trade flow.”

The East Africa Cargo Connect Summit may have concluded, but it offered a sharp lens into how trade transformation will take shape across the region. It will not happen in speeches or statements, but in transactions, project financing, consistent policy, and the operational agility of banks, ports, and border authorities.

For now, Tanzania is positioning itself credibly as the trade spine of the region. Its ports are expanding, rail systems are being rehabilitated, and border processes are being digitised. Stanbic Bank’s role in this story is increasingly clear: it is financing the foundation. And if the pace of activity in Dar es Salaam is any indicator, that foundation is not only being built, it is already bearing weight.