Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé ordered security officials to resolve border delays within 48 hours, bringing renewed attention to trade bottlenecks that businesses say are undermining the African Continental Free Trade Area’s push for deeper regional commerce.
The directive, delivered during the Biashara Afrika 2026 summit in Lomé, followed complaints from regional business leaders and trade officials over persistent cargo delays, multiple checkpoints and high logistics costs across West Africa.
“Even today, logistics costs in the region remain among the highest in the world. Non-tariff barriers persist. Border delays continue to slow trade,” Gnassingbé said during the summit.
“I thank our two friends from Nigeria and the President of Afreximbank for pointing out our shortcomings, and I ask the Minister of Security to resolve this issue within 48 hours,” he added.
The Togolese President’s remarks drew applause from delegates at the summit, where discussions have centered on the gap between Africa’s trade integration ambitions and the operational barriers businesses continue to face at ports and border crossings.
Transport operators moving goods through regional corridors linking Togo, Ghana and Benin frequently encounter customs bottlenecks, lengthy inspections and overlapping administrative procedures that raise delivery costs and disrupt supply chains.
The issue has become increasingly sensitive as African governments seek to accelerate implementation of the AfCFTA, which aims to create a single continental market and boost intra-African trade.
While tariffs are gradually being reduced under the agreement, businesses say non-tariff barriers, including border delays, documentation requirements and inconsistent regulations continue to erode many of the expected gains from the trade pact.
High logistics costs remain one of the biggest structural constraints facing African manufacturers and exporters competing within regional and global markets. Delays at border posts increase transportation expenses, weaken supply-chain reliability and discourage cross-border investment, according to business groups and trade analysts.
The president’s intervention now places focus on whether authorities can deliver visible improvements at border crossings in the coming days, at a time when investors and businesses are increasingly demanding practical measures to support regional trade integration rather than policy commitments alone.
