20th May 2026
Intra-African trade is projected to rise to $230 billion by 2027 from a record $220 billion in 2024, according to Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Speaking at the BIASHARA Afrika 2026 Forum in Lomé, Mene said global geopolitical tensions and rising protectionism have made African economic integration increasingly essential.
The forum, hosted by the government of Togo in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat, is being held in West Africa for the first time and focuses on accelerating intra-African trade, investment, regional value chains, and industrial transformation. Mene commended Faure Gnassingbé for supporting regional and continental trade integration.
Mene said the AfCFTA agreement has moved from vision to implementation, with 50 African countries ratifying the pact and 26 countries already trading under its preferential rules after aligning domestic laws with the agreement. He also highlighted the rollout of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, backed by African Export-Import Bank, which enables cross-border transactions in local currencies and reduces transaction costs.
He further noted progress in trade digitalisation through electronic tariff systems and platforms for reporting non-tariff barriers. Mene also cited the success of the Guided Trade Initiative launched in Accra in 2022, saying it has demonstrated the commercial viability of AfCFTA trade and strengthened confidence among African businesses in the continent’s unified market.