African trade integration efforts are turning to digital customs reform and system harmonization to address persistent delays at border posts that continue to constrain intra-continental commerce, according to AfCFTA’s customs director.
Head of Customs Cooperation, Trade Facilitation, and Transit at AfCFTA, Demitta Gyang, speaking on the AfCFTA Podcast, said the continental trade framework places customs administrations at the core of implementation, given their role in regulating the movement of goods, collecting tariffs and enforcing preferential trade rules.
She said the AfCFTA introduces a coordinated system of annexes covering customs cooperation, trade facilitation, and transit, all aimed at ensuring goods move seamlessly across member states. Central to this is customs cooperation, which requires information sharing, mutual administrative assistance and alignment of procedures across jurisdictions.
Gyang described customs officers as the frontline implementers of trade policy, responsible for determining tariff applicability, verifying compliance with rules of origin and ensuring that goods qualify for preferential access under the agreement.
However, she noted that the practical reality at borders often falls short of this framework. Field assessments conducted along key trade corridors revealed that infrastructure deficits, fragmented digital systems, and weak institutional coordination continue to slow the movement of goods.
In many cases, border agencies operate parallel systems that are not fully integrated, creating delays for traders who must clear multiple regulatory checks. These include customs, immigration, standards authorities and veterinary services, depending on the type of goods being transported.
Gyang also pointed to capacity gaps among border officials, noting that limited awareness of AfCFTA provisions in some locations undermines consistent application of preferential trade rules.
To address these challenges, the AfCFTA Secretariat is prioritizing digital tools such as electronic tariff systems and digital certificates of origin, which aim to reduce reliance on paper-based processes and improve cross-border data sharing.
She said the long-term objective is a digitally connected customs ecosystem that allows systems to interface without replacing national platforms, enabling what she described as more efficient and harmonized border management.
Infrastructure constraints remain a further challenge. In some locations, poor road networks, limited energy supply and outdated border facilities continue to restrict 24-hour trade operations, contributing to congestion and delays.
Gyang said overcoming these issues will require coordinated investment, stronger institutional alignment and sustained capacity building to ensure that AfCFTA commitments translate into practical gains for traders across the continent.
The AfCFTA, operational since 2021, aims to create the world’s largest free trade area by number of countries, but implementation hurdles remain a key test of its effectiveness.
