Hassan Allam Construction, a subsidiary of the privately owned Hassan Allam Holding, has secured a landmark $250 million contract to construct the African Export-Import Bank’s new global headquarters in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital.
The project, known as the African Trade Centre, will be Afreximbank’s largest development to date and is expected to become a major hub for trade, finance and business collaboration across the continent.
The new complex will consolidate Afreximbank’s expanding operations while also serving a broader role beyond banking. According to the lender, the African Trade Centre is designed as a focal point for African trade, investment and knowledge-sharing, bringing together policymakers, entrepreneurs and investors under one roof. Planned facilities include a knowledge and innovation hub, a corporate museum that chronicles Africa’s trade journey, and an SME incubation centre aimed at supporting small and medium-sized businesses involved in cross-border trade.
Under the contract, Hassan Allam Construction will handle the full scope of work on the project. This includes civil construction, electrical and mechanical systems, landscaping, and the supply and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment. The scale of the development reflects Afreximbank’s ambition to create a world-class headquarters that matches its growing role in financing trade and development across Africa.
The African Trade Centre will also feature a 750-seat conference centre, large exhibition halls, retail and dining outlets, and a range of support facilities. A multi-level parking structure capable of accommodating around 1,200 vehicles will serve staff and visitors. Afreximbank said the complex is intended to host high-level trade summits, policy dialogues, business forums and investment events linked to Africa’s export growth and economic integration agenda.
Afreximbank President and Chairman, George Elombi, said the project goes far beyond the bank’s internal space requirements. He noted that the centre is designed to address a long-standing gap in access to reliable trade and investment information, which has often limited the ability of African businesses to expand across borders and fully benefit from intra-African trade opportunities.
Construction of the headquarters is expected to take approximately 36 months. During this period, the project is projected to generate about 8,000 direct and indirect jobs. Once completed and operational, the complex is expected to support around 1,000 permanent jobs, adding to its economic impact.
The contract further strengthens the position of Hassan Allam Holding as one of the Middle East and North Africa’s leading engineering and construction groups. Founded in 1936, the group has built a strong reputation across sectors including energy, water, industrial infrastructure and logistics, with operations in roughly 10 countries. It currently has projects worth about $6 billion underway.
Under the leadership of Hassan Allam and Amr Allam, the group has delivered more than 12 million square meters of built space in Egypt alone. In recent months, the company has accelerated its expansion drive. In October, it won a $550 million project in New Cairo, and in September secured a contract in Muscat, Oman, to deliver water and wastewater infrastructure, underscoring its growing regional footprint.
The Afreximbank headquarters project adds another high-profile win to Hassan Allam Construction’s portfolio and highlights Egypt’s New Administrative Capital as an emerging centre for major institutional and commercial developments with continental significance.
