New Telegraph 
To enable African businesses to fully capitalise on the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced a specialised training program designed to equip enterprises with a deep understanding of the agreement’s commercial implications and transformative potential.
Scheduled to take place in Abuja, Nigeria, from June 30 to July 2, 2025, the training program is designed to provide businesses with practical policy-relevant insights into the AfCFTA’s evolving regulatory and institutional landscape.
It will help participants interpret key treaty instruments, ensuring compliance with new trade rules while enhancing their knowledge of regional integration and operational mechanisms.
Additionally, the program will serve as a crucial platform for guiding both prospective and existing exporters on new trade developments, equipping them with the tools to navigate tariff and non-tariff barriers across the continent.
Conceived and implemented by Afreximbank in collaboration with the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the AfCFTA Secretariat, the training is expected to attract a diverse range of participants, including African corporates engaged in import and export activities, Trade Support Institutions such as Trade Promotion Organizations and Chambers of Commerce, Investment Promotion Agencies, Export Trading Companies, Financial Institutions, and the broader foreign trade community.
Participants will also benefit from tailored presentations on key Afreximbank products and initiatives that support the AfCFTA’s implementation, including the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), and various trade finance solutions.
Reflecting on the significance of the program, Dr. Yemi Kale, Group Chief Economist & Managing Director of Research at Afreximbank, emphasized that while the AfCFTA holds immense potential for Africa’s economic growth, its success hinges on the ability of businesses to fully understand and opera tionalize its provisions.
However, limited understanding of its technical and operational aspects has prevented many businesses from fully leveraging its benefits. “The AfCFTA is not just a policy framework—it is a catalyst for a structural shift in Africa’s economic landscape,” said Dr. Kale.
“However, many African businesses are still grappling with limited awareness of the agreement’s technical provisions, trade protocols, and strategic benefits.
This knowledge deficit has constrained their ability to compete effectively, expand their market reach, and optimize value chains across the continent.”
He further explained that without a solid grasp of the AfCFTA’s tariff schedules, rules of origin, customs cooperation, and dispute resolution mechanisms, even the most competitive enterprises risk missing out on critical growth opportunities.
“This training is about more than compliance; it is about empowerment. It equips participants not only to meet regulatory requirements but also to develop export strategies, diversify markets, and improve competitiveness.”
Tsotetsi Makong, Director Coordination and Programmes at the AfCFTA Secretariat, reinforced this point, stating: “This training program will help African businesses seeking export opportunities overcome key challenges, including understanding African markets in depth, navigating market rules and compliance requirements, and optimizing cross-border product transportation.
To fully harness the AfCFTA’s potential, it is essential to address these barriers and build the capacity of African companies to transition from local production for domestic consumption to a model that supports exports across the continent and beyond.”
