Commerce thrives when barriers are lifted, and opportunities are shared. Unfortunately, history shows that progress in trade has often excluded half the population from its full benefits. 

To learn more about gender issues in trade, treasury, and payments, Mahika Ravi Shankar of Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke with Gwen Mwaba, Afreximbank’s Managing Director of Trade Finance and Correspondent Banking, at TFG’s annual Women in Trade Treasury and Payments event in London. 

Women, particularly those in emerging markets, often face unique struggles that hinder their ability to participate fully in the global economy, such as limited access to education, outdated legal systems, and restrictive inheritance laws. 

Without the right to own property in some regions, securing financing becomes nearly impossible shackling many organisations to their small business status. When businesses remain small because they cannot finance the growth waiting for them, the entire economy suffers.

Mwaba said, “A woman in trade can be a leader of a big organisation, but that’s the minority. The majority of ‘women in trade’ in emerging markets would be the women selling goods in a marketplace or the women carrying cash across the border from one country to another to buy goods that are required in their country.”

Many of these African women engage in commerce as street vendors or cross-border traders, but see their contributions go underrecognised. Many are becoming farmers, turning to agriculture as a viable and promising career. Yet, systemic obstacles persist that the financial sector will have a role in overcoming.

Institutions have begun focusing on the economic inclusion of women through targeted programs. Liquidity solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) provide a lifeline. When credit becomes accessible, business owners can expand operations, hire more workers, and bolster their communities in the process. 

Beyond funding, visibility matters. Placing women in leadership allows young girls to see someone like them in charge, encouraging them to dream big. It also ensures decision-making reflects diverse perspectives and does what is best for the organisation and economy as a whole, rather than just a gender-biased subset.

Mwaba said, “There are a number of unique challenges that are very specific to a continent like Africa. Some of those include things like a lack of access to education for young girls. Boys still tend to be favoured, and many families would rather pay for the male child to go to school than the female children.”

These issues demand attention. Collective advocacy strengthens the case for practical solutions that allow women to thrive in both business and family life.

Trade, treasury, and payments have historically been male-dominated but that reality is beginning to shift as more women enter the sector, find success, and push for broader representation. A big step also comes from recognising that no two ‘women in trade’ are alike, that unique circumstances demand unique solutions.

The next step involves dismantling outdated norms, promoting financial inclusion, and ensuring women are positioned as leaders, not just contributors. The momentum exists. What happens next depends on those willing to drive change.

The post VIDEO | The role of women in Africa’s trade and finance appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

At Women in Trade, Treasury & Payments 2025, our attendees answered a series of hard questions. Some were technical, some strategic – but all focused on driving faster, more meaningful progress in our industry.

In our second highlight reel from the conference, more speakers shared their thoughts on removing barriers to inclusion and accelerating change, aligning with this year’s International Women’s Day theme: #AccelerateAction.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated and to those supporting from afar.

Watch the full video to hear how the female leaders in our industry would #AccelerateAction for ESG in trade, treasury, and payments.

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Last week, we asked the attendees of our Women in Trade, Treasury & Payments event many difficult questions. Some were technical, some holistic, all concerned with how to integrate inclusion in the industry more urgently.

In this video, we asked attendees about how they thought the road towards inclusion could be smoothened – or at least, how the cars on the road can accelerate – in line with the theme of International Women’s Day, #AccelerateAction.

For those who did not attend, this video should give a flavour of the day. It was inspiring to see the passion with which everyone spoke on topics ranging, from payments digitalisation to supply chain transparency. 

But the deep respect among attendees for one another was truly special, and it’s what allowed for such open discussions.

Thank you all for your contributions, and for the support of those who could not attend. Enjoy the video!

The post How can we #AccelerateAction for ESG in trade, treasury, and payments? appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

Our industry focuses on environment, social, governance (ESG), equality, and fairness, but there’s still some progress to go in terms of gender representation. Women entering the workforce need to see powerful women in leading positions, driving innovation and progress in their respective industries.

Trade Finance Global’s (TFG) Mahika Ravi Shankar (MRS) spoke with Eleanor Hill (EH), TFG’s treasury expert and a member of our gender-equal editorial board, about their upcoming Women in Trade, Treasury and Payments event. 

The importance of women-focused events 

MRS: Why is an event like Women in Trade, Treasury, and Payments important, and what’s special about it?

EH: It’s about celebrating and amplifying the voices of women. There are so many great professionals in this space. We don’t necessarily always get the opportunity to have a platform to have that voice. And this is an event where industry leaders can share insights, and inspire others. 

I like the fact that it’s bringing together trade, treasury, and payments because there’s so much intersection between these two areas, especially as trade has become more global and corporates operate more internationally.

MRS: What does gender inclusion mean in the remit of trade, treasury, and payments?

EH: For me, it means ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender, has equal access to opportunities and that they’re represented in meaningful ways. In Trade and Treasury, this inclusion is particularly important because these fields are shaping global commerce today and are important for economic stability. We need those diverse perspectives to make informed, balanced decisions… It’s also about fostering a culture where mentorship and sponsorship are accessible to women.

Personally, I just fell into the industry. I would say 99% of treasurers are accidental treasurers. I love that there’s always innovation going on, and the treasury crimes are amazing. 

But treasury is also so interconnected with trade, as we’ve spoken about already. It’s the complexities of managing liquidity, effects risk, working capital, and everything else that make the world go around and make sufficient trade. I think what we’re doing with the event will only bring those closer together.

This year’s WITTP

MRS: Could you tell us a bit about the plan for this year?

EH: It’s going to be even bigger and better.

The event will take place at the Lansdown Club, which has a really interesting history as one of the only members’ clubs to allow women to join since its inception in 1935. It’s based in Mayfair. 

It’s a women-only event, bringing together an impressive mix of treasurers, trade finance professionals, fintech, government representatives, and perspectives. The aim is to facilitate those connections and conversations, highlight the intersection between trade and treasury, and hopefully have some good discussions.

WITTP is all about showcasing the industry’s brightest minds and their insights into current trends. The event isn’t about gender in isolation. It’s about expertise and leadership. We want to ensure that women’s contributions are recognised in these fields.

MRS: How’s the day going to be structured?

EH: We’re going to start with breakfast networking, followed by a keynote speaker: last year, we had Johanna Hill from the WTO. We’ll then have some thought-provoking panel sessions, breakout sessions, round tables, and lots of different topics. There will also be some video interviews and key takeaways. 

Roundtable discussions will align with the WITTP 2025 theme of sustainability, as we think the women bring some fresh, out-of-the-box perspectives to the discussion of ESG strategy, shaped by their unique experiences.

Undoubtedly, there’ll be something for everyone in different formats that everyone can engage in.

Participation and allyship 

MRS: How can everyone get involved in this event?

EH: If you’re a woman, you can attend the event, but it’s women only. If you’re a man, there are ways that you can sponsor the event, support the event, or of course, you can engage with TFG’s content online around the event, share it, put it out on LinkedIn, help us make a noise about it.

MRS: That’s touched on the elephant in the room: men think of this as an exclusionary event because it’s women only. How would you say that people who are allies of gender inclusion can further support the event?

EH: It’s a really good question because it does seem like it’s the opposite of inclusion, so I totally understand that concern and it is valid! But the purpose of having it for women only is just to create a safe space to empower women to share their insights and build strong networks. 

I’ve found these spaces to be extremely important. I recently worked with a Women in Working Capital Group, where we’ve had very different discussions because there have only been women in the room. 

But as I said, men have a really crucial role to play as allies, supporting gender inclusion, advocating for women, challenging biases when they see them in the workplace. 

It’s not just through this event, and International Women’s Day is not just one day. The message is about day-to-day action, promoting diverse voices in their organisations. As we said, sponsor the event, maybe even step forward to be a mentor if there’s a woman that you feel could do with mentorship but doesn’t have access to anyone. There are many different ways that allies can step forward and support!

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The Women in Trade, Treasury and Payments event will take place on February 27th, 2025, at the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair, London.

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