The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has launched the North Africa Regional Cohort of its SME Booster Programme in Tunis, Tunisia, as part of efforts to help small and medium-sized enterprises expand beyond domestic markets.
The programme is designed to strengthen the ability of SMEs and Business Support Organisations (BSOs) to take advantage of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
It provides practical support in areas considered critical to cross-border business, including export readiness, product standards, digital trade, access to finance, logistics and market access.
Speaking at the launch, Tunisia’s Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, stressed the importance of increasing trade among African countries to build stronger and more resilient economies.
The programme comes as businesses across the continent continue to face practical barriers when seeking to expand into other African markets.
For many SMEs, having a competitive product is not enough to successfully enter a new market.
Businesses must understand export procedures, comply with standards in destination markets, identify viable customers, secure financing and manage transportation and other logistics requirements.
The SME Booster Programme seeks to address these gaps by giving participating enterprises the knowledge and tools needed to prepare for cross-border operations.
Focus On Export Readiness
A key component of the programme is export readiness, which is expected to help SMEs assess their capacity to serve customers outside their domestic markets and prepare for the requirements of international trade.
The focus on standards is also aimed at helping businesses meet product and regulatory requirements that could otherwise prevent them from accessing markets in other African countries.
Digital trade forms another important part of the programme, reflecting the growing role of online platforms and digital technologies in connecting African businesses with customers and commercial partners.
Access to finance and logistics support are also being addressed, given their importance to SMEs seeking to increase production, fulfil larger orders and move goods efficiently across borders.
By combining these areas with market-access support, the initiative seeks to give SMEs a broader set of tools for competing in the continental market.
Strengthening SME Support Systems
The inclusion of Business Support Organisations is intended to strengthen the wider ecosystem that helps SMEs access information, technical assistance and business development services.
The AfCFTA Secretariat believes strengthening both enterprises and the institutions that support them can improve the ability of SMEs to participate sustainably in regional trade.
The North Africa cohort forms part of broader efforts to ensure that businesses across the continent can translate the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA into actual commercial activity.
SMEs remain central to Africa’s productive economy, and improving their ability to trade across borders could help expand markets, strengthen regional value chains and increase intra-African commerce.
For participating North African businesses, the programme is therefore expected to improve their export capabilities, competitiveness and readiness to pursue opportunities across the continent.
The initiative reinforces the broader objective of AfCFTA to create a more integrated African market in which businesses can expand beyond national boundaries and contribute more significantly to continental trade and economic growth.
