The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is being positioned as one of Africa’s most transformative economic initiatives, with officials describing it as a major pathway for boosting intra-African trade, industrial growth and long-term economic integration across the continent.
Speaking on the topic “Understanding AfCFTA – From Agreement to Opportunity,” Dr. Tsotetsi Makong, Director of Coordination and Programmes at the AfCFTA Secretariat, during a media session ahead of the BIASHARA AFRIKA 2026 underway in Lome-Togo, said the trade pact remains one of the flagship projects under the African Union’s Agenda 2063 development framework.
According to Dr. Makong, the agreement was first approved during the 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2012 as part of efforts to accelerate economic growth and deepen trade relations among African countries.
He explained that the agreement seeks to create a single continental market for goods and services while facilitating the movement of people, capital and investments across member states.
“The AfCFTA aims at accelerating intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations,” he said.
Dr. Makong noted that the agreement officially came into force on May 30, 2019, after it was signed in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018, with trading under the framework commencing on January 1, 2021.
He highlighted key objectives of the agreement, including promoting industrialisation, enhancing food security, encouraging regional value chains and supporting sustainable economic development across member states.
The Director also outlined major protocols under the agreement, including trade in goods, trade in services, dispute settlement, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy.
He said several operational instruments have been introduced to facilitate trade under the framework, including rules of origin, tariff concessions, non-tariff barrier monitoring systems, the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System (PAPSS), and the African Trade Observatory.
According to him, the tariff framework allows for 90 percent tariff liberalisation among member states, with additional provisions for sensitive products over a phased transition period.
Dr. Makong further noted that the AfCFTA Secretariat, headquartered in Accra, is responsible for coordinating implementation of the agreement and monitoring progress across the continent.
He explained that the institutional framework of AfCFTA includes the Assembly of Heads of State, the Council of Ministers, the Committee of Senior Trade Officials and various technical committees tasked with ensuring the agreement delivers practical economic benefits.
Dr. Makong urged African businesses, policymakers and entrepreneurs to move beyond understanding the agreement on paper and begin taking advantage of the opportunities it presents for trade expansion and economic transformation.
