African businesses now have a practical pathway to expand across the continent through a free training programme designed to strengthen their capacity to trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Delivered by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the online course provides firms with hands-on skills, market insights, and operational readiness needed to enter new African markets.
Participants will learn how to prepare their businesses for export, research potential markets, develop entry strategies, navigate AfCFTA market access conditions, manage logistics, and comply with continental standards. The self-paced programme runs until December 31, 2025, allowing businesses to apply knowledge in real time as they scale.
Unlocking Trade and Growth
With a single market of 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of over $3.4 trillion, AfCFTA offers vast opportunities. Yet many African businesses struggle with limited market data, high logistics costs, and unfamiliar export procedures. The training addresses these gaps, helping enterprises compete more effectively and expand their regional footprint.
Experts say that stronger intra-African trade could boost local value chains, reduce dependence on imported goods, stimulate manufacturing and service sectors, and create jobs across agriculture, industry, and services.
By providing technical support at no cost, ITC and Afreximbank aim to ensure that SMEs, cooperatives, start-ups, and exporters can seize the economic opportunities presented by Africa’s growing integrated market.
