- African Continental Free Trade Area creates market of 1.3 billion people
- Combined GDP of AfCFTA countries estimated at over $3.4 trillion
- Intra-African trade currently accounts for about 15–18% of total trade
- AfCFTA aims to eliminate tariffs on 90% of goods
- Non-tariff barriers remain major constraint to trade expansion
- Private sector identified as main driver of cross-border trade growth
- Logistics, financing, and infrastructure gaps limit participation
- SMEs represent over 80% of businesses across Africa
- Trade facilitation reforms required to increase intra-African trade share
- Ethiopia positioning to benefit through export diversification efforts
Why it matters?
A 1.3 billion market with $3.4 trillion GDP offers scale, but low intra-African trade (15–18%) shows untapped potential. Private sector participation is critical to unlocking AfCFTA benefits.