Digital exclusion and the lack of integrated systems at border posts are creating barriers for women and young people engaged in cross-border trade in Africa, Ghana Women in Trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (GWITA) has said.
The organisation’s Co-Founder and Director of Programmes, Doris Adoboe, said about 80 per cent of women and young people involved in cross-border trade faced challenges, including delays and harassment, partly because their businesses operated informally and their trade documents were not readily accessible through digital systems at border posts.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Ms Adoboe explained that many traders had not registered their businesses, making it difficult for them to navigate cross-border procedures and complete transactions without delays.
“Eighty per cent of women and youth are informally transacting their businesses. That means they have not registered their businesses. And so when they are crossing borders, they have a lot of delays in crossing the borders or doing business across borders,” she said.
She identified the absence of accessible, integrated digital systems as another challenge, noting that information contained in documents issued in one country might not be available to customs officials at the border in another country.
According to her, the gap can lead to repeated questioning of traders despite their possession of the required documentation.
“There’s also a harassment part of it where Customs will pretend not to see what is stated on certificates of origin and will still be asking questions, and people will be demanding extra cash from you,” she said.
Ms Adoboe attributed some of these difficulties to digital exclusion, arguing that border officials may be unable to verify documents because the information is not available in their systems.
“I think it’s because of digital exclusion, because what is being issued here, they don’t have it in their system at the border post,” she added.
Her concerns highlight the practical difficulties facing women and young traders seeking to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to facilitate trade among African countries.
While informal business operations can complicate compliance with registration and documentation requirements, the reported digital gaps may also hinder the verification of legitimate trade documents and contribute to delays.
Ms Adoboe’s comments point to the need for stronger digital integration between border agencies, alongside efforts to help women and young people formalise their businesses.
Improved access to digital trade systems and more efficient document verification could help reduce delays and address opportunities for harassment, making cross-border trade more accessible to women and young entrepreneurs under the AfCFTA.
