By Aaron Parker

Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin, Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank, recently joined prominent global business leaders at the Ghana International Bank’s (GHIB) CONVERGE 2025 conference held in London.

The event, which focuses on promoting pan-African trade and strengthening economic partnerships, attracted key stakeholders committed to rethinking commodity finance for sustainable growth.

Dr. Gilpin, accompanied by the bank’s Head of Compliance Jennifer Jonah, described the conference as an “important platform for advancing African trade and deepening global economic ties.” During the event, he actively participated as a panelist in discussions on “The Race for Critical Minerals in Africa,” a topic central to Africa’s resource-driven economic future.

During the panel discussion, Dr. Gilpin highlighted Africa’s abundant deposits of rare earth and platinum group metals amid rising global demand driven by advancing technologies like AI and electric vehicles.

He noted that while supply disruptions from conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war have increased pressure on these minerals, Africa’s role in the global supply chain remains limited. Using Sierra Leone’s rutile deposits as an example, Dr. Gilpin emphasized that many African countries lack the technological capacity to fully process and benefit from these advanced minerals, risking economic losses despite growing demand.

He stressed the urgent need for Africa to develop its technological capabilities to capture greater value from its mineral wealth.

In addition, Dr. Gilpin met with GHIB’s CEO, Dean Adansi, to explore further avenues for collaboration between Rokel Commercial Bank and international partners.

The conference also highlighted the UK’s renewed focus on pan-African trade in 2025. GHIB officially launched a £50 million trade finance package in partnership with British International Investment (BII), aiming to bridge the trade finance gap faced by African businesses.

This initiative aligns with the UK’s new policy approach, which emphasizes genuine, mutual partnerships with African countries and reforms to simplify trade, including changes to the Developing Countries Trading Scheme.

The GHIB CONVERGE 2025 conference underscores a growing commitment to fostering economic growth in Africa through innovative finance solutions and strengthened international cooperation.

The UK’s focus on pan-African trade in 2025 is highlighted by the Ghana International Bank (GHIB)’s CONVERGE 2025 conference in London, dedicated to rethinking commodity finance for growth, alongside the launch of a £50 million trade finance package with British International Investment (BII) to reduce the trade finance gap. These events coincide with the UK’s new approach to African partnerships, which includes a consultation on a new policy aimed at building genuine, mutual partnerships, and measures to simplify trade for African businesses by reforming the Developing Countries Trading Scheme.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on ednesday,13th August 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)