1. Assess the market potential of your product: Are you already successful in your home or another country? Does your company have enough staff and resources to export?
2. Identify Target Market: Choose a country you want to export to by researching market demand. Study the local market conditions, including customer preferences, competitors, and pricing strategies as well as requirements for qualities and quantities. Is your product competitive? Is an adaptation of your product needed to meet the regulatory and cultural preferences of the target market.
   Potential Map ITSC Export Potential Map (intracen.org)
3. Confirm that your own and the country you want to export to are AfCFTA member countries and have ratified the agreement so that you could benefit from the agreement. Is your target market or home country part of the GTI? If not, verify if your product qualifies for preferential treatment under the AfCFTA tariff schedule.  GTI MAP
   

   Familiarize yourself with the rules of the AfCFTA, particularly the rules of origin, and ensure compliance. Obtain a certificate of origin, for example, through the Chamber of Commerce or Trade Ministry.

   Basics of AfCFTA Rules of Origin provisions – tralac trade law centre and AfCFTA Rules of Origin – AfCFTA (au-afcfta.org)

4. Evaluate further barriers: Investigate tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and local regulations  that might affect your product. Therefore you can use the eTariff book eTariff – AfCFTA (au-afcfta.org)
5. If applicable, is the intellectual property related to your product protected in your export market?

1. Develop an Export Strategy including market entry methods (merchant, agent), distribution channels, and marketing plans and set objectives: Define clear, measurable goals for your export activities.
2. Find a buyer
3. Budget Planning: Estimate costs involved in exporting, such as production, transportation, insurance, and tariffs.

Packaging and Labeling: Ensure packaging meets the standards of the destination country and includes appropriate labeling in the local language.

1. Set Payment Terms: Negotiate payment terms with the buyer, considering methods like Letters of Credit, documentary collection advance payment, or open account.  As an exporter, you should seek advice from your bank on the country and the financial risks like the importer’s bank creditworthiness and country stability.
2. Currency Exchange: Manage currency risks by agreeing on the transaction currency and using hedging strategies if needed. Additionally, consider Incoterms and ensure they are appropriately included in the agreement.
3. You can use  the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System PAPSS – Make instant and secure cross-border payments in local currencies across Africa

1. Identify the correct Harmonized System (HS) code for products.
2. Submit a customs declaration including 1) a commercial invoice (including HS Code, value and origin of goods), 2) a packing list (contents, dimensions and weight of each package), 3) necessary transport documents such as bill of lading
3. Complete an export declaration with your country’s custom authority providing all necessary details about goods, destination and transportation through your country’s custom system. If available submit the custom declaration and supporting documents electronically through your country’s plattform and pay export duties, taxes, or tariffs. 

1. Choose Shipping Method (air, sea, land or multimodal transport based on cost, speed, and product nature) as said in the incoterm agreement between exporter and importer.
2. Compliance Check: Ensure that your shipment complies with all regulatory requirements to avoid delays or fines.
3. Select a Freight Forwarder: Hire a reputable freight forwarder to handle transportation logistics.
4. Arrange Insurance: Obtain cargo insurance to cover potential losses or damages during transit.

1. After export, customs at the incoming border will inspect documentation and may conduct physical inspection of goods. After successful clearance the goods will be released for delivery to the importer.
2. Export and track the shipment to ensure timely delivery and handle any issues that arise. 

1. Customer Feedback: Gather feedback from customers to improve future export operations.
2. After-Sales Service: Provide necessary after-sales support to build customer loyalty.
3. Evaluate Performance: Assess the success of the export activity against your objectives and adjust your strategy as needed.

• Understand and respect cultural differences in business practices and consumer behavior.
• Ensure that your export practices are environmentally sustainable and socially responsible.
• The elimination of NTBs is critical to boosting intra-Africa trade and achieving the objectives of the AfCFTA. There is a reporting, monitoring, and elimination mechanism where traders can send a complaint on a specific trade obstacle they have encountered during the process of moving goods and services across borders – you can find it under www.tradebarriers.africa

Ghana: GEPA – Ghana Export Promotion Authority:
gepaghana.org

Zambia: Foreign Trade – Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry
mcti.gov.zm

Malawi: Trade Data
mitc.mw

Ruanda :
Rwanda Trade Portal

Kenya:
kenyatradeportal.go.ke

Tunisia: Ministère de l’Industrie, des Mines et de l’Energie
tunisieindustrie.gov.tn

ECOWAS: VAT & customs | Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
ecoslate.github.io

Other helpful links: How to Export with the AfCFTA Online Training Platform
afreximbankacademy.org

Sources of the Guide: The ones mentioned above and additionally Guide for export of goods | Access2Markets

How to Export with the AfCFTA Online Training Platform (afreximbankacademy.org)

Guide-to-Exporting-to-Africa-Continental-Free-Trade-Area.pdf