Trade Talks Africa | Policy, Progress and the People behind the AfCFTA: Issue 7

03 Feb 2026
Jan 2026
03 Feb 2026

In 2026, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is increasingly shifting from a broad policy framework into what stakeholders are calling an implementation sprint, as efforts intensify to accelerate intra-African trade amid ongoing global trade volatility. 

At a time when global supply chains are being reconfigured and protectionist pressures are rising, effective AfCFTA implementation has become critical to strengthening Africa’s economic resilience, expanding regional value chains, and reducing the continent’s dependence on external markets. Building on momentum from late 2025, key milestones included the 2nd AfCFTA Business Forum in Marrakech, which brought public and private sector actors together to focus on practical implementation and deeper economic integration, and high-level discussions on digital trade and investment policies that are shaping how the AfCFTA moves from ambition to action. This edition of Trade Talks Africa provides an overview of the most significant events and developments from January 2026 and assesses their implications for the broader continental trade agenda.
 

Stay informed. Stay engaged. Because integration matters.

Trade Talks Africa | Editor-in-chief
Dr Noncedo Vutula

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World Economic Forum

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos (19 –23 January 2026), AfCFTA implementation featured prominently on the global agenda. The AfCFTA Secretary-General, Wamkele Mene underscored the urgency of accelerating continental integration to help build a “new economy” for Africa, with a strong emphasis on advancing digital trade protocols and addressing high infrastructure and logistics costs that continue to constrain cross-border trade.

AfCFTA Business Forum

The AfCFTA Business Forum in Marrakech, Morocco, concluded with strong calls for faster implementation of the Agreement, including the modernisation of customs systems, the digitalisation of rules-of-origin processes and the expanded adoption of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to facilitate smoother cross-border transactions. These outcomes signal growing momentum toward practical AfCFTA implementation as member states and the private sector move beyond policy commitments to adopt concrete tools and systems that can reduce trade costs, improve efficiency at borders and enable faster, more seamless intra-African trade.

AfCFTA as a Response to Global Trade Shocks: With major global shifts and high US tariffs on goods, African leaders are using the AfCFTA to diversify markets and reduce reliance on external trading partners.

Sierra Leone is first in the AfCFTA Readiness Assessment

President Julius Maada Bio announced that Sierra Leone has become the first country to complete its National AfCFTA Readiness Assessment, developed with technical support from the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This milestone positions Sierra Leone as a continental frontrunner in preparing domestic institutions, policies, and the private sector for effective participation in the AfCFTA. The assessment evaluates gaps in trade policy, customs procedures, productive capacity, infrastructure and regulatory frameworks; and it provides a roadmap for aligning national systems with AfCFTA requirements. By completing this process, Sierra Leone has set an important benchmark for national-level implementation, demonstrating how countries can move from political commitment to practical readiness for continental trade integration.

Nigeria’s 2026 Non-Oil Export Push

Nigeria announced plans to identify at least one exportable product in each of its 774 local governments to boost non-oil exports under the AfCFTA, aiming to build on 2025 milestones.

Progress on the eight parts of the Protocol on Digital Trade, which include topics like digital identities, cross-border payments, data transfers and cybersecurity, is a significant move towards making Africa's digital economy work under the AfCFTA. These annexes provide the regulatory foundations needed to enable secure online transactions, interoperable payment systems, trusted digital authentication and smoother cross-border data flows. Together, they are expected to reduce transaction costs, improve market access for small businesses and startups to support the growth of e-commerce and digital services across the continent. These annexes are considered among the most critical building blocks of the Digital Trade Protocol because they address core enablers of digital trade.

Key Data and Projections as of January 2026

The United Nations projects Africa’s economy to grow by 4.0% in 2026, with East Africa leading at 5.8%, driven largely by strong performance in Ethiopia and Kenya. This projection, published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in its World Economic Situation and Prospects report points out the importance of accelerating AfCFTA implementation. Strong regional growth creates favorable conditions for expanding intra-African trade, scaling regional value chains and increasing demand for cross-border goods and services. If effectively leveraged, the AfCFTA can help translate this macroeconomic growth into more diversified production, job creation and long-term structural transformation across the continent.

Infrastructure Costs: The AfDB estimates Africa’s infrastructure financing needs to be roughly 150 billion US dollars annually, with a focus on unlocking 800 billion US dollars in underutilised domestic capital.

The New Economy Focus: Trade in services is expected to gain significant traction, with a 10 percent potential increase in Africa's GDP by 2043 if the AfCFTA is fully implemented.

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): As the European Union’s CBAM takes full effect in January 2026, AfCFTA is being prioritised as a way for African nations to reduce exposure to these new carbon taxes.

Upcoming Events

  • The African Mining Indaba 2026 is scheduled to take place from 9 - 12 February 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) in Cape Town, South Africa. The Nelson Mandela School will be co-hosting a side event on Mineral Governance and Funding on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, from 08:00-10:00 at the Cape Milner Hotel. For more information about the side event, please email tebogo.lefifi@uct.ac.za
  • 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly (14 - 15 February 2026): The African Union Assembly is scheduled to hold its 39th Session, the AfCFTA progress expected to be a major agenda item.
  • The Industrial Policy for Africa Conference is scheduled for 16 - 18 February 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Learning Opportunities

  1. The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance in partnership with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), will be hosting an executive short course, Leadership for systems change in addressing gender-based violence. This custom-designed leadership course seeks to enable collaborative relationships across government and civil society stakeholders working to address domestic violence and rape. 

    The course builds leadership capacity to facilitate systemic change and ensure equitable, appropriate, quality services for survivors and their families. The learning journey is practical and experiential, fostering critical and strategic thinking, problem-solving, and relationship building to strengthen collaboration. The ultimate intention is to ensure survivors receive compassionate, linked-up services. 

    - The course runs over ten weeks through online face-to-face sessions and self-paced learning, commencing in the week of 4 May 2026 and concluding on 16 July 2026. For more information, please email veleska.maphike@uct.ac.za

     
  2. In another significant partnership, the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance and Sciences Po Executive Education will be offering an executive education programme, Africa-Europe Cooperation for the Green Transition. The fully online course is designed to equip practitioners from the continent and around the globe to shape African European developmental cooperation and promote Africa’s green structural transformation.

    Core thematic focus areas engaged include:
    • Just energy transitions and renewable energy in Africa
    • Green industrialisation in Africa
    • Regional integration and supply chains
    • Critical mineral supply and renewable technologies
    • Technological innovation for climate-resilient development

    Participants will learn from leading faculty from the Nelson Mandela School and Sciences Po, as well as pioneering academics and practitioners from across the African continent and emerge with deepened connections in a diverse network advancing Afro-European cooperation for Africa’s green future.

    You can download the brochure for an overview of the course and the programme outline. For more details, please visit the website. Complete your application through this link.
    Course dates: The course is 12 weeks long and will begin in September 2026. Applications close in mid-June.
    Tuition fees: R82 300 (South African Rand)
    - Feel free to email hannah.diaz@uct.ac.za to express your interest in attending.

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