African governments are accelerating implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area to shield economies from new tariffs imposed by major trading partners.
The drive reflects growing concern that heavy reliance on raw exports and imported finished goods leaves countries exposed to sudden policy shifts abroad. Officials say deeper regional trade can reduce that vulnerability and provide a platform for industrialisation and value addition.
Launched in 2021, AfCFTA covers 55 countries and 1.4 billion people, and supporters point to World Bank estimates that it could boost intra-African trade by 81 percent by 2035. Even amid global slowdowns, intra-African trade rose about 12.4 percent in 2024, a sign that regional commerce can help cushion external shocks.
Leaders at the Ghana Roadshow for IATF2025 and AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene have urged governments and firms to treat regional markets as the first line of defence.
Practical shifts are under way. Ghana exported GH¢3.38 billion to Togo in 2024 while importing GH¢1.81 billion, underscoring how some bilateral links already favour regional flows.
Policymakers hope to turn hubs in Morocco, Kenya, and South Africa into production nodes, and to accelerate projects from Mombasa port expansions to Lagos transport corridors to lower trading costs. Fintech improvements are also easing cross border payments, helping small and medium enterprises access customers across the continent.
Significant obstacles remain, including border delays, non tariff barriers, and gaps in infrastructure and policy alignment.
Still, analysts say the risk of punitive tariffs abroad is forcing reforms that might otherwise have taken years, turning external pressure into political will for deeper integration. If governments follow through, AfCFTA could become both a shield against protectionism and a lever for long term industrial resilience.
