The African Circular Business Alliance (ACBA) participated in the Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD) webinar titled “The State of Trade in Africa: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Road Ahead,” held virtually on October 1, 2025. The session was part of AFRACAD’s TradeVoices Series, a platform designed to facilitate knowledge sharing, policy dialogue, and collaboration across Africa’s evolving trade ecosystem.
The session was moderated by Srinath Keshavan, Chief Executive of Trade Risk Consulting, and featured Patrick Utomi, Manager, AU/AfCFTA and International Cooperation at Afreximbank, as one of the key contributors. Together, they explored Africa’s untapped trade potential, shifting legal frameworks, and the role of digital transformation in shaping the future of cross-border trade across the continent.
Understanding AFRACAD and the TradeVoices Initiative
AFRACAD, the knowledge, learning, and capacity-building arm of Afreximbank, plays a central role in promoting trade development across Africa. Through initiatives such as the TradeVoices Series, the Academy convenes thought leaders, policymakers, and private-sector actors to exchange ideas on critical trade issues affecting the continent. Each session focuses on actionable insights and policy recommendations that support Afreximbank’s broader mandate of boosting intra-African trade and promoting industrialisation under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Highlights from the Session
The discussion centred on Africa’s vast but underutilised trade opportunities, the challenges constraining growth, and the ongoing digital transformation reshaping how trade is conducted across borders.
- Opportunities: Speakers highlighted Africa’s enormous untapped potential in regional and global trade. With its abundance of natural resources, expanding youth population, and emerging regional markets, the continent is poised to redefine its role in global commerce.
- Challenges: Key barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, fragmented legal frameworks, and limited access to trade finance continue to hinder progress. The need for stronger institutions, harmonised trade policies, and regional cooperation under AfCFTA was emphasised as a pathway to overcoming these constraints.
- Digital Transformation: The conversation underscored the transformative power of technology in enhancing trade efficiency, transparency, and inclusion. Digital trade platforms, data-driven logistics, and e-certification systems were identified as critical enablers of Africa’s next trade revolution.
ACBA’s Participation and Perspective
Representing ACBA at the session was Miguel Peters, Chief Executive Officer of the African Circular Business Alliance. His participation reflected ACBA’s deepening engagement with continental trade and sustainability dialogues — particularly where trade intersects with circular economy innovation and green industrialisation.
Mr. Peters reaffirmed that Africa’s trade future must integrate circular economy principles, emphasising value addition, resource efficiency, and sustainable manufacturing. He noted that “as Africa continues to strengthen its trade frameworks under the AfCFTA, it is equally important to ensure that trade growth aligns with environmental responsibility and circular innovation — this is where ACBA’s mission directly contributes.”
The Road Ahead
Following this initial session, the TradeVoices series will continue to explore practical solutions to Africa’s trade challenges, including regulatory reforms, capacity building, and financing mechanisms for inclusive trade growth. Future discussions will focus on the role of trade finance in supporting competitiveness among African businesses and financial institutions.
For ACBA, participation in this dialogue reinforces its commitment to supporting Africa’s economic transformation through sustainable trade, innovation, and circular development — ensuring that progress in commerce also drives sustainability, resilience, and inclusive prosperity.
