By Bassey Udo
Two of Nigeria’s most strategic investments in the petroleum and power sectors of the country’s economy that enjoyed the financial support of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) are featured in the latest edition of Bank’s documentary series, Impact Stories.
Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, a 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery constructed by the Dangote Group in Lagos with a syndicated loan facility from Afreximbank has significantly impacted the Nigerian economy since its completion and commencement of operation.
The plant has not only refined and supplied petroleum products, particularly premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, to the Nigerian consumers, it has helped the country move rapidly towards realizing its national aspirations of transiting from being a net importer of petroleum products to becoming not only
a net exporter of the commodity to other countries, but also becoming self-sufficient in domestic fuel supply.
The impact of the Geometric Power project spearheaded by the former Minister of Power, Barth Nnaji, by revitalising a historic industrial hub in Aba, Abia State with reliable electricity supply was also featured in the documentary.
The Bank said the latest production, which is the second in the series, also
featured stories from the Caribbean and other parts of Africa.
Produced by Afreximbank in partnership with Create, CNN International Commercial’s branded content studio, the Bank said Season Two of the series takes viewers on location to Grenada, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria.
“Building on the success of the inaugural season, the new collection of six films expands the series’ geographic scope to capture the Bank’s growing footprint across Global Africa,” the Bank said in a statement.
“The series brings to life the impactful outcomes of strategic investments, moving beyond finance to capture the human and economic transformation unfolding across the continent and its diaspora.
“Each episode provides an intimate look at the landmark projects and partnerships that are unlocking enterprise, building critical infrastructure, and fostering a new era of prosperity.
“Featuring stories that highlight the breadth and impact of Afreximbank’s interventions — from the expansion of the Silversands Resort in Grenada, a flagship project of deeper Africa-Caribbean cooperation, to the development of Dangote Refinery in Lagos, the films illustrate the scale of ambition driving Africa’s economic future.
“Viewers will be transported to Aba, Nigeria, to see how the Geometric Power project is revitalising a historic industrial hub with reliable electricity, and to Ghana, where the series follows the journey of cocoa from farm to global market through the Bank’s partnership with Plot Enterprise.
“The series also celebrates the rise of Africa’s creative economy, spotlighting Ghanaian fashion brand Boyedoe as it prepared for its debut on global stage at Paris Fashion Week, supported by Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme.
“The final episode explores the renovation of Abidjan’s iconic Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium, showcasing how investment in national infrastructure delivers wide-reaching cultural and economic benefits for local communities.”
The Director of Communications and Events at Afreximbank, Mrs. Anne Ezeh,
emphasised the series’ role in documenting the Bank’s core mission and impact.
“These films are much more than stories about investment and projects. They are portraits of partnership and progress, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to fostering economic independence.
“By showcasing the entrepreneurs, communities, and national economies we partner with, we are sharing a vision of a prosperous and integrated Global Africa.
“This showcase is vital, because it demonstrates that the building blocks for greater economic integration are already in place or being built now, inspiring businesses and regions to accelerate intra-African trade and encouraging entrepreneurs to forge cross-border collaborations that drive development at home and abroad.”
“It’s been a real privilege to work hand in hand with Afreximbank and their incredible team as co producers of Impact Stories again for the second season, Senior Director of Production and Global Executive Producer at CNN International Commercial’s Create Brand Studio, Martin Laing, said.
“Together, we’ve built a compelling, audience-first YouTube documentary series dedicated to telling powerful human stories and showcasing the real-world impact of their initiatives across Africa, its global diaspora, and beyond.
“We are incredibly proud to collaborate on a truly international series that puts people at the heart of the storytelling and connects meaningfully with audiences around the world.”
The six new episodes, which debuted on Afreximbank TV on March 12 and served as a powerful testament to Afreximbank’s mandate to finance and promote trade, as well as demonstrating how strategic investments are turning opportunity into tangible prosperity for businesses and communities across Africa and the Caribbean.
The series will be promoted in high impact formats across CNN.com and in a long-form TV campaign across CNN International.
