The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and Ghanaian technology company Quest Ghana Limited have signed a definitive Joint Venture Agreement to establish a US$5.17 billion Digital Trade Corridor aimed at transforming cross-border commerce across Africa.
The agreement will see the parties develop digital infrastructure covering an African Minerals and Commodities Exchange, a digital marketplace and a continental cross-border interoperable payment system.
The Republic of Seychelles will provide sovereign support for the venture, which will be headquartered in Victoria, Seychelles.
The project is intended to support the expansion of intra-African trade from its current estimated value of about US$200 billion to US$500 billion and beyond by reducing barriers to cross-border commerce and providing businesses with integrated digital tools for trading, payments, logistics, tracking and settlement.
According to AfCFTA, Quest Ghana Limited values the project at US$5.17 billion.
AfCFTA Secretary-General, H.E. Wamkele Mene, said digital infrastructure would be critical to unlocking the continent’s trade potential and enabling African businesses to participate more efficiently in the single market.
“Trade is the engine of Africa’s prosperity, and digital infrastructure is the track on which that engine must run; digital infrastructure will enable accelerated intra-Africa trade,” he said.
He added that the partnership with Quest Ghana reflects the AfCFTA Secretariat’s commitment to developing “seamless, secure, and interoperable digital infrastructure” that will enable micro, small and medium enterprises, youth and women traders to participate more easily in continental trade.
The joint venture follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the parties in March 2026 and Cabinet approval granted by the Government of Seychelles in July.
Under the agreement, the joint venture will design, develop and operate the infrastructure required for the Digital Trade Corridor, including digital marketplaces, cross-border payment systems, logistics infrastructure and systems for the trading, tracking and settlement of minerals and commodities.
The proposed digital African Minerals and Commodities Exchange is expected to create a structured platform for trading African minerals, agricultural products and other commodities, while the digital marketplace will connect businesses and traders across the continent.
The interoperable payment system is expected to facilitate cross-border transactions and improve the movement of capital between African markets, complementing the broader push to reduce the friction and cost associated with intra-African trade.
Quest Ghana Executive Chairman, Mr. Philip Gamey, said the project would be designed to serve businesses of different sizes rather than only large multinational companies.
“Africa’s future depends on the flow of goods, services, and capital across its borders,” Mr. Gamey said.
He added that the corridor would create “transparent, efficient, and inclusive trade” infrastructure connecting more than 1.4 billion people.
The Government of Seychelles is also positioning its involvement as part of its broader contribution to Africa’s economic integration.
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning, Trade and Investment, Hon. Pierre Laporte, said Seychelles was “proud to lend its sovereign support” to the initiative and host its headquarters in Victoria.
He said the country’s involvement reflected its ambition to contribute to increasing intra-African trade and demonstrate the role that a small island nation can play in advancing economic integration across the continent.
The Digital Trade Corridor forms part of the wider implementation of the AfCFTA, which seeks to create a single continental market of about 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP of approximately US$3.4 trillion.
