The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, has been honoured with the All Africa Intellectual Property Leadership and Continental Integration Award in recognition of his leadership in advancing Africa’s trade, industrialisation and continental integration agenda.
The award was presented by the leadership of the All Africa Intellectual Property Summit (AAIPS) during a courtesy visit to the AfCFTA Secretariat on the sidelines of the 18th Meeting of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers Responsible for Trade in Abuja, Nigeria.
Led by its Chairman, Sand Mba Kalu, the AAIPS delegation praised Mene for his role in driving the implementation of the AfCFTA, describing his leadership as instrumental in transforming the continental trade agreement from an ambitious vision into a practical framework for economic growth and regional integration.
Presenting the award, Kalu said Mene had demonstrated exceptional leadership in promoting intra-African trade, expanding economic opportunities for businesses and strengthening cooperation among African countries.
“Under your leadership, the AfCFTA has continued to move from aspiration to implementation, from political commitment to practical economic opportunity, and from continental vision to an operational framework capable of reshaping Africa’s trade future,” he said.
He added that the recognition reflected Mene’s enduring contribution to connecting African markets, supporting industrial development and positioning trade as a catalyst for shared prosperity across the continent.
Kalu also called for a stronger institutional partnership between the AfCFTA Secretariat and the All Africa Intellectual Property Summit to support the implementation of the AfCFTA Intellectual Property Rights Protocol.
According to him, closer collaboration would help unlock Africa’s innovation potential, strengthen the creative economy and promote the commercialisation of intellectual property across the continent.
Receiving the award, Mene welcomed the recognition and reaffirmed the AfCFTA Secretariat’s commitment to working with stakeholders to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation.
He described the AfCFTA Intellectual Property Rights Protocol as a strategic instrument for promoting industrial development, innovation and public health through local manufacturing, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector.
“The Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights is not just a legal instrument. It is an opportunity for us as a continent to leverage intellectual property to advance industrial development, strengthen public health through local pharmaceutical production and reduce over-reliance on imports,” he said.
Mene disclosed that negotiations on all AfCFTA protocols had now been concluded, with the Secretariat shifting its focus to implementation.
He stressed that stronger collaboration with the private sector would be essential to ensuring that businesses and citizens fully benefit from the continental free trade agreement.
“We have to accelerate implementation and deepen collaboration with the private sector because it is the private sector that will ensure that we see the benefits of this Agreement,” he stated.
The award highlights Mene’s growing influence in shaping Africa’s economic integration agenda and underscores the increasing recognition of the AfCFTA Secretariat’s efforts to promote trade, industrialisation and sustainable development across the continent.
