AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Keabetswe Mene announced the launch of the much-anticipated AfCFTA Transit Guarantee Scheme in 2025, a significant step toward seamless continental trade.
The scheme will ensure that goods transported along major corridors, including the Abidjan-Lagos route, are covered by a single transit guarantee, eliminating the need for multiple payments across different countries.
“This scheme will allow goods to move across regions, from the ECOWAS region to other parts of the continent, under one unified cost of transit guarantee,” Mene explained.
He described the initiative as a historic milestone in Africa’s trade integration, stating: “The quality of our work is unparalleled and this does not exist anywhere else in the world. This is a historic moment for Africa.”
Call for a Unified Digital Payment System
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the Advisory Council of the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), urged African nations to use Ghana’s mobile payment system as a benchmark in their efforts to streamline digital transactions.
She highlighted the urgent need for a continent-wide mobile interoperability system, noting that fragmented financial ecosystems across African Union (AU) member states hinder digital trade.
Dr. Zuma called for significant investments in broadband infrastructure, e-commerce expansion and mobile platforms to unlock the full potential of digital transactions in the next five years.
Key Recommendations from APD 2025
The APD 2025 discussions produced five key recommendations for African nations:
Logistics & Transport; Africa’s infrastructure deficit significantly hampers the free movement of people, goods, and services.
Intra-African trade costs are 30-40% higher due to poor roads, limited airline services, outdated railways, and inefficient ports.
Action Needed: Full implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the Yamoussoukro Decision to liberalise air transport across Africa.
Affordable & Sustainable Energy
Over 30 African countries face frequent power outages, hampering industrial growth and digital economies.
Action Needed: A coordinated regional energy policy and interconnected power grids to enhance affordability and reliability: The Grand Inga Dam project was cited as a potential solution to Africa’s energy crisis but remains largely unimplemented.
Mobile System Interoperability: Policy fragmentation across AU member states complicates efforts to establish a harmonised digital ecosystem.
Action Needed: Investment in broadband expansion, mobile payment interoperability, and regulatory harmonization to facilitate digital trade.
Social Infrastructure & Healthcare, Africa relies heavily on imported pharmaceuticals, making it vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions.
Action Needed: Investment in local pharmaceutical production, digital healthcare solutions, and mobile insurance platforms to enhance accessibility.
On Infrastructure Financing, Africa needs a dedicated Infrastructure Fund to unlock $2 trillion in domestic capital from pension funds, insurance funds, and others.
