African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretary-General Wamkele Mene has called on governments, the private sector, and financiers to adopt a more decisive and unified approach to investment across Africa, warning that structural barriers continue to limit the continent’s economic potential despite growing global interest.
Mene made the remarks during a high-level panel on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, held from April 17 to 19 in Türkiye under the theme “Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties,” which convened heads of state, foreign ministers, and policy leaders to address pressing global and regional challenges.
Speaking at a session titled “Investing in Africa’s Future: Strategy, Scale and Competitiveness,” the AfCFTA Secretary-General said Africa is no longer simply a destination for foreign capital but an increasingly important participant in global supply chains. He stressed that this shift demands a corresponding change in how investment strategies are designed and delivered.
“Africa’s demographic and economic trajectory present immense opportunity,” Mene said. “However, these advantages must be matched with deliberate strategies that address long-standing structural constraints if we are to fully unlock investment potential.”
He pointed to regulatory certainty as a key factor in attracting sustained, long-term capital, arguing that investors require stable and predictable policy environments before committing to large-scale projects. Infrastructure, he added, is equally foundational. Transport corridors, energy systems, and digital networks, he said, must be strengthened to lower transaction costs and improve efficiency across the continent.
Mene also called for innovative financing mechanisms and blended finance solutions to close the investment gap, particularly for large infrastructure and industrial undertakings. He emphasised the role of development finance institutions as critical partners in enabling the private sector to operate at scale.
On the sidelines of the same forum, Mene held bilateral talks with Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Ömer Bolat, with discussions focused on how Türkiye can further leverage AfCFTA opportunities to deepen its economic footprint across Africa, particularly in construction, textiles, automotive manufacturing, and renewable energy.
Participants at the investment panel highlighted sectors including renewable energy, agribusiness, technology, and logistics as areas where Africa holds significant comparative advantages and where global investor interest is rising. However, speakers cautioned that realising these benefits will require sustained political commitment and consistent implementation at both national and regional levels.
The AfCFTA encompasses 55 African Union (AU) member states and aims to create a single continental market of 1.4 billion people. Mene reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to helping member states translate policy frameworks into practical outcomes.
“The pathway to Africa’s economic transformation is clear,” he said. “What is required now is coordinated action, strategic investment, and unwavering commitment to building a competitive and resilient continental economy.”
