WTO members review five Regional Trade Agreements, discuss transparency issues
9th March 2026 At a meeting on 3 March, the World Trade Organization’s Committee on Regional Trade Agreements reviewed five trade pacts involving members from Africa, Europe and Asia, while raising concerns about delays in notifying agreements that are already in force. The Committee examined the accession of Comoros to the Interim […]
EAPP And SAPP Sign MoU To Boost Cross-Border Power Trade In Africa
6th March 2026 A major step toward regional energy integration in Africa has been realized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Independent Regulatory Board of the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). The agreement, signed in late February 2026 in Harare, Zimbabwe, marks a new […]
WCO Publishes New Guide to the ECCAS Rules of Origin
6th March 2026 The World Customs Organization (WCO) today released its “Guide to the ECCAS Rules of Origin”, aimed at supporting customs administrations and economic operators in implementing revised rules adopted in October 2024 by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). The updated rules apply within the ECCAS Free Trade Area, launched in January […]
From Compliance to Impact: Making Enquiry Points Work Better for Trade Facilitation
6th March 2026 The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is urging countries to strengthen trade transparency mechanisms, warning that when information on trade procedures is difficult to access, smaller traders and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) bear the greatest burden. In a new study, UNCTAD examines how to turn trade […]
Resolutions of the East African Business and Investment Summit & Expo 2026
4th March 2026 The East African Business and Investment Summit & Expo 2026 (EABIS 2026), organized by the East African Business Council in partnership with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance and the East African Community Secretariat, was held on 24–25 February 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. Convening over 450 delegates from government, industry, finance, and development […]
Cutting Carbon Emissions Requires Green Industrialization
4th March 2026 Commitments made at the COP 30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil, last year offer tangible opportunities for Africa, a senior official from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) said this week. Karin Reiss, UNIDO programme manager, was speaking during a panel discussion at Africa Energy Indaba 2026, held […]
New 5-year plan blueprint for future China – Africa relations
The partnership between China and Africa continues to provide a strong foundation for collaboration among countries in the Global South. China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, endorsed at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, reinforces long-term planning, institutional coordination, and high-quality development. For African nations, the plan offers a model for linking national strategies with […]
Ghana Commits to Championing Sustainable Climate Action Across Africa
Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment, as Chair of the Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN), to promote a unified African climate position aimed at advancing resilience and sustainable development across the continent. Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources Kenneth Gilbert Adjei said sustained coordination and collective action are essential to shaping Africa’s future in an equitable, development-oriented, […]
Kenya to Support African Embassies in Advancing Intra-African Trade Deals
On the sidelines of the African Heads of State Summit, Kenya announced the launch of BiasharaLink and Deal House, two interconnected digital trade platforms designed to transform African embassies into transaction-enabling hubs for trade and investment. Unveiled at a high-level reception in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the initiative marks a new phase of digitally driven economic […]
Rwanda Eyes Stronger Trade, Infrastructure Partnership with Ethiopia
23rd February 2026 Rwanda has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening trade and infrastructure cooperation with Ethiopia, while paying tribute to Addis Ababa’s historic military support during one of the most challenging periods in Rwanda’s history. In an interview with the Ethiopian News Agency, Rwanda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Charles Karamba, highlighted the enduring bond forged when Ethiopian […]
Govt not arbiter of AfCFTA goods, services
20th February 2026 The Ministry of International Relations and Trade has clarified that it does not determine which products Namibian exporters trade within Africa, emphasizing that such decisions rest with businesses. However, the ministry strongly encourages the export of value-added goods in line with government policy aimed at industrialization and economic diversification. Deputy Minister […]
The AfCFTA Secretariat and AGRA seal new partnership to fast-track Intra-African Trade and agricultural growth
20th February 2026 The African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) have reinforced their strategic partnership to accelerate intra-African trade, placing agriculture at the centre of efforts to boost farmer incomes, strengthen regional value chains, and enhance food security. The renewed collaboration seeks to translate continental trade […]
Nigeria–Morocco pipeline project powers new vision for Africa’s energy unity
18th February, 2026 Africa’s energy strategy is increasingly shifting from isolated national projects to coordinated regional infrastructure, with large cross-border gas pipelines positioned as tools for both energy security and economic integration. Comments from NNPC Ltd’s leadership highlight a continental approach in which shared assets — particularly the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the West African Gas […]
Who wins and who loses as trade policies shift?
17th February, 2026 The UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) analysis highlights how recent United States trade measures are reshaping global export competition by altering relative prices rather than simply restricting trade overall. Changes in tariffs and preferences redistribute market access across suppliers, meaning the impact is uneven: some countries lose competitiveness while others gain […]
AfCFTA to turn Nigeria into Africa’s gas-powered manufacturing hub
17th February, 2026 Nigeria’s policy direction, as outlined by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, frames the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a catalyst for transforming the country — and potentially the continent — from a raw resource exporter into an integrated industrial economy powered by natural gas. The strategy rests on […]
Africa Energy Bank Targets $15B by 2030, Signaling New Era of Continental Investment
16th February, 2026 The upcoming launch of the African Energy Bank in Abuja represents a significant step toward African control over energy financing. Backed by the African Petroleum Producers Organization and Afreximbank, the bank aims to mobilize $15 billion for oil and gas projects by 2030 to address a financing gap left by retreating Western investors. […]
World Bank, Federal Government of Nigeria Partner on Power Reliability, Agriculture and Trade Reform
16th February, 2026 Nigeria’s Finance Minister Wale Edun met World Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde to discuss collaboration on strengthening the country’s economy. The talks focused on expanding reliable electricity, boosting agriculture, accelerating digital infrastructure, improving trade flows and unlocking private-sector investment — areas widely seen as key to improving productivity […]
Nigeria to Host 2026 Conference on Africa’s Borderless Digital Economy
9th February 2026 Nigeria will host the RegTech Africa Conference and Expo (RACE 2026) from May 20 to 22, 2026, following the official unveiling of the event at the State House in Abuja. The conference, to be held under the auspices of the Office of the Vice President, is being organised in partnership […]
ECOWAS: Consolidating Economic Growth At 5% Amid Crippling Challenges
5th February 2026 The West African sub-region has expressed optimism that its projected economic growth rate of five per cent in 2026 reflects strong resilience despite persistent challenges, including widespread insecurity. This outlook was disclosed by the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, during a […]
African leader urges rapid industrialization at Africa Trade Summit 2026
4th February 2026 At the Africa Trade Summit 2026 in Accra, Ghana, President John Dramani Mahama called on governments, businesses, and financial institutions to accelerate industrialization and value addition to strengthen Africa’s global economic position, create jobs, and achieve economic sovereignty. The two-day, private sector–led summit, held from January 28 to 29 and organized […]
Africa must deepen free trade to overcome fragmentation
4th February 2026 Africa’s pursuit of economic independence and continental unity depends on deeper free trade, stronger infrastructure, and the removal of long-standing barriers to intra-African commerce, former Egyptian diplomat Ambassador Ahmed Haggag has said. Speaking on the prospects and challenges of Africa’s free trade zone, he called for decisive and coordinated continental integration […]
Africa’s Digital Credit Market Moves from Rapid Growth to Regulatory Oversight
29th January 2026 After years of rapid expansion fueled by mobile money, Africa’s digital credit market is entering a regulatory phase. Governments across the continent are formalizing loan apps through licensing and conduct standards, aiming to curb abuses while maintaining access to credit. Bonface Orucho, of Bird Story Agency, observes that regulators are reasserting […]
Zambia Rewires Its Power System to Anchor Southern Africa’s Energy Trade
28th January 2026 Zambia is undertaking a comprehensive reform of its power sector aimed at addressing domestic electricity shortages while positioning the country as a strategic power hub in Southern Africa. This approach combines large-scale generation expansion, diversification of energy sources, grid modernization, and deeper regional power integration. A central element of this strategy is […]
Growing Chinese Exports to Africa Push Trade Gap to Record US$102 Billion Despite U.S. Pressure
27th January 2026 Since its introduction, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between South Africa and the United Kingdom has delivered measurable trade benefits, enabling South African exporters to avoid tariffs on goods valued at approximately R50 billion in 2024 alone. These savings have supported export-led growth, employment, and the strengthening of bilateral trade relations. […]
Sierra Leone Marks AfCFTA Milestone, President Bio Seeks Investment
27th January 2026 President Julius Maada Bio has positioned Sierra Leone as a leading example of AfCFTA implementation, announcing that the country has become the first to complete and gazette its National AfCFTA Readiness Assessment and Schedule of Commitments. Speaking at the Forum Friends of the AfCFTA Breakfast Meeting during the World Economic Forum […]
European Union and Mercosur Sign Landmark Free Trade Agreement
26th January 2026 After more than 25 years of negotiations, the European Union and the Mercosur bloc of South American countries have formally signed a landmark free trade agreement, marking a major step toward deeper economic integration between the two regions. The agreement, signed in Asunción, Paraguay, still requires ratification by the European Parliament […]
West Africa Industrial Summit to focus on turning trade gains into manufacturing growth
26th January 2026. West Africa’s expanding intra-African trade and renewed emphasis on industrial development are expected to feature prominently at the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Trade Summit and Exhibition (West Africa IMT 2026), scheduled to take place in Lagos from March 3 to 5. The event comes against a backdrop of growing regional […]
AfCFTA SG: Infrastructure, Transport, and Logistics Costs Remain High
26th January 2026 The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, has highlighted persistently high costs related to infrastructure, transport, logistics, and trade finance as major constraints to Africa’s ability to benefit from the emerging “new economy.” Speaking at a World Economic Forum session in Davos on unlocking new sources […]
Africa’s Digital Economy Faces $720 Billion Test as AfCFTA Shifts to Execution
23rd January 2026 Africa’s digital economy could reach $720 billion by 2050, offering a major source of growth and employment for a continent with the world’s youngest population African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is shifting focus to execution, with digital trade emerging as a key component in delivering growth at scale. Speaking at the […]
Nigeria-UAE pact to boost Trade, Logistics and Investment Flows
19th January 2026 Nigeria has concluded a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral economic relations. Signed on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in the presence of President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the agreement establishes a […]