The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat says its Biashara Afrika 2026 forum concluded in Lomé with new trade partnerships, digital trade initiatives and pilot programs aimed at accelerating implementation of the continent’s single market, as African governments and businesses push to translate the AfCFTA from a policy framework into commercial activity.
The three-day conference in Togo brought together heads of state, ministers, financiers, logistics firms, investors and small businesses to address barriers to intra-African trade, including customs bottlenecks, fragmented payment systems, financing gaps and logistics constraints.
The AfCFTA Secretariat said the event attracted more than 1,900 participants, the highest attendance since the forum was launched, highlighting growing interest from investors and businesses seeking opportunities linked to Africa’s integration agenda.
The forum produced several partnership agreements and memoranda of understanding between the AfCFTA Secretariat and organizations including International Trade Centre, Ecobank Group, Rendeavour and Africa Global Logistics focused on trade finance, logistics, industrialization, SME support and market integration.
Delegates also advanced discussions around digital trade infrastructure and cross-border payment systems, including the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, the African Trade Gateway and the AfCFTA e-Tariff Book, as policymakers emphasized the need to reduce transaction costs and simplify cross-border commerce.
Nigeria announced readiness to pilot the AfCFTA Electronic Certificate of Origin and Simplified Trade Regime, while Cabo Verde signaled plans to pilot the Authorized Economic Operator Programme under the AfCFTA Trade Facilitation Platform. Stakeholders also discussed One-Stop Border Posts and a Single Bond Guarantee initiative designed to reduce border delays and lower trade costs.
Participants welcomed Togo’s announcement introducing visa-free entry measures for African passport holders, describing the move as a practical step toward easing the movement of businesses and investors across the continent.
The conference discussions focused heavily on regional value chains, industrialization, agriculture, special economic zones, infrastructure corridors, SME financing and expanding participation by women- and youth-led enterprises in cross-border trade.
“Biashara Afrika 2026 has demonstrated that the AfCFTA is no longer a future ambition, but a market taking shape through partnerships, investments, infrastructure, digital innovation, and private sector leadership. The conversations in Lomé were not about possibility, but about execution,” said Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat.
“Africa’s economic transformation will ultimately depend on our ability to enable African businesses to trade at scale across the continent. The progress witnessed during the Biashara Afrika 2026 reflects growing confidence in the AfCFTA and a shared determination to build an integrated, competitive, and resilient African market,” Mene added.
Delegates at the forum said Africa’s competitiveness will increasingly depend on digital connectivity, interoperable payment systems and trade platforms alongside traditional infrastructure such as ports, roads and transport corridors.
The conference concluded with renewed commitments from governments, financial institutions and businesses to deepen intra-African trade, mobilize investment into productive sectors and accelerate implementation of the AfCFTA as part of broader efforts to boost industrialization and economic growth across the continent.
