The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, has challenged the widely cited statistic that intra-African trade accounts for only 15% of the continent’s total trade, arguing that the true figure is likely much higher.
Speaking at the Ghana Roadshow for the 2025 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) in Accra, Mene pointed to informal cross-border trade, data limitations, and poor coverage of the services sector as key reasons why current estimates fall short.
“This figure likely understates the true scale of Africa’s internal trade, given the prevalence of informal cross-border activity, data gaps, and the limited capture of trade in services,” he said.
He stressed that AfCFTA’s focus on structural transformation, including industrialisation and the development of regional value chains, is central to reducing Africa’s reliance on raw commodity exports.
“By dismantling trade barriers and eliminating non-tariff measures, we are incentivizing industries to specialize and add value here in Africa,” Mene said.
The 2025 Intra-African Trade Fair, scheduled for September in Algiers, will serve as a key venue for advancing this agenda. The AfCFTA Secretariat plans to host a dedicated pavilion at the event to provide technical guidance and share updates on the implementation of the trade agreement.
“Africa’s path to genuine, inclusive prosperity depends on stronger trade performance. IATF2025 is where this vision is translated into practical reality,” Mene added.
Organized as a flagship initiative of the AfCFTA, the IATF aims to deepen trade within the continent by connecting businesses, promoting investment, and supporting the development of regional supply chains.
