The unlimited potential of One African Market
About the AfCFTA
How the AfCFTA can supercharge growth for African businesses
The dream of a single African market has been many decades in the making. Now, thanks to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), this dream has evolved into reality.
One African market
The AfCFTA comprises 54 African countries. This map gives an overview of each country’s key trade data, and its membership of regional trade communities.
400%
By how much the AfCFTA could potentially increase intra-African trade
$3.4TRN
The combined GDP of the countries in the AfCFTA
$450 BN
By how much the AfCFTA is expected to boost Africa’s income
SUCCESS STORIES
The AfCFTA is already helping businesses in some countries grow beyond borders. Here is what those pioneers have learnt about capitalising on the free trade area.
Rwanda businesses: Joel Tuyishime’s journey
Joel Tuyishime’s journey into horticulture exports began with avocados. Tuyishime is the CEO of Agri Solution Ltd, a horticulture export company based in Kigali, Rwanda.
“We started horticulture in 2017. At the time, Rwanda produced few products for exportation and the government was [focused] on increasing exportation levels. That’s when I started learning about export. We started with avocados because it was needed in Dubai,” says Tuyishime.
Unlocking AfCFTA’s Benefits for Tunisian Businesses
The benefits that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement will bring to Africa’s people and businesses, once it is properly up and running, are almost unimaginable, says Tunisian businessman Mokhtar Zannad, CEO of Aramis, Tunisia.
“It is estimated that by 2050 there will be 2.5-billion people in Africa … Imagine the need for food, fuel, paper,” says Zannad, whose company Nielsen Recycling Solutions develops and manufactures machines used by the recycling industry.
AfCFTA can change lives in Zambia, says businesswoman
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will change lives, says Zambian businesswoman Chananga Bwembya Nkowani, who manufactures woodwork, jewellery and clothing in Lusaka, Zambia.
The AfCFTA is the largest free trade area in the world by number of participating countries, connecting 1.3-billion people across 55 African countries with a combined GDP of $3.4-trillion, as measured by the World Bank in 2020, and the potential to lift 30-million Africans out of extreme poverty by boosting intra-African trade.
Ghanaian home comforts, from Africa to the world
In five short years Rahmat Sai Jimah’s food manufacturing company has gone from making its first-ever sale to exporting Ghanaian home comforts to North America and Switzerland.
In 2019 Chopbox Express was born out of an idea that had been percolating in Sai Jimah’s head for many years. She started an online food store to sell pre-made Ghanaian dishes like hausa koko, a spicy corn or millet porridge; koose, a deep-fried bean cake; and toogbei, a fried dough snack.