AfCFTA chief pledges to eliminate intra-African trade barriers

The secretary-general of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, has reaffirmed his commitment to reducing and eliminating intra-African and investment barriers. Speaking at a roundtable on Nigeria’s implementation of the AfCFTA protocol in Abuja on Thursday, Mr Mene stated that these constraints hinder the continent from reaching its full potential. He said that the secretariat had developed a legal framework to help eliminate and reduce such barriers. Mr Mene stated that the protocol on women and youth in trade aimed to eliminate the barriers faced by young people and women-owned businesses. “Our heads of states have told us in the shortest period of time, to eliminate these intra-Africa barriers, including free movement of persons. We are ready to eliminate these constraints,” he said.
The AfCFTA secretary-general also highlighted the importance of the Women and Youth on Trade and Digital Trade Protocol, which was adopted by heads of state in February 2024 to promote inclusive trade and development in Africa. “These are two important protocols that complement each other,” he said. Mr Meme explained that they address the significant barriers female-owned businesses and youth entrepreneurs face in accessing new markets across the continent. He added that the first certificate of origin issued by Nigeria was to a women-owned business, which enabled the business to access new markets outside Nigeria and ECOWAS. “So these are the practical steps of working together with our development partners that enable us to move beyond aspirations about women-owned businesses and businesses owned by young people,” he said.
Similarly, the Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Olatunbosun Tijani, urged stakeholders to implement the digital trade protocol effectively. He highlighted the importance of strong collaboration to enhance investment in the African digital economy. Meanwhile, Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, expressed her gratitude to all AfCFTA stakeholders for making the programme a reality. “I believe in Nigeria, I believe in Africa. Thank you for all your efforts in making our dreams a reality,” she said. She noted that collaboration was key to supporting the growth of the economy. NAN