Multilateral trade financing institution the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) will provide a specialised training programme designed to equip enterprises with a deep understanding of the commercial implications and transformative potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to fully capitalise on the opportunities.

The training programme is designed to provide businesses with practical, policy-relevant insights into the AfCFTA’s evolving regulatory and institutional landscape. It will help participants interpret key treaty instruments, thereby ensuring compliance with new trade rules while enhancing their knowledge of regional integration and operational mechanisms.

Additionally, the programme will guide prospective and existing exporters on new trade developments, and equip them with the tools to navigate tariff and non-tariff barriers across the continent, the finance institution says.

The programme is scheduled to take place in Abuja, Nigeria, from June 30 to July 2.

While the AfCFTA holds immense potential for Africa’s economic growth, its success hinges on the ability of businesses to fully understand and operationalise its provisions. However, limited understanding of its technical and operational aspects has prevented many businesses from fully leveraging its benefits, says Afreximbank Group chief economist and research MD Dr Yemi Kale.

“The AfCFTA is not just a policy framework, but is a catalyst for a structural shift in Africa’s economic landscape. However, many African businesses are still grappling with limited awareness of the agreement’s technical provisions, trade protocols and strategic benefits.

“This knowledge deficit has constrained their ability to compete effectively, expand their market reach and optimise value chains across the continent,” he highlights.

Without a solid grasp of the AfCFTA’s tariff schedules, rules of origin, customs cooperation and dispute resolution mechanisms, even the most competitive enterprises risk missing out on critical growth opportunities, he states.

“This training is about empowerment. It equips participants not only to meet regulatory requirements, but also to develop export strategies, diversify markets and improve competitiveness.”

This training programme will help African businesses seeking export opportunities overcome key challenges, including understanding African markets in depth, navigating market rules and compliance requirements, and optimising cross-border product transportation, says AfCFTA Secretariat coordination and programmes director Tsotetsi Makong.

“To fully harness the AfCFTA’s potential, it is essential to address these barriers and build the capacity of African companies to transition from local production for domestic consumption to a model that supports exports across the continent and beyond,” he says.

By developing the necessary competencies and industrial capacity, all African nations can maximise the benefits of a single market, he adds.

Makong calls on public and private sector stakeholders to deepen their understanding of the agreement’s operationalisation to drive sustainable economic growth.

The upcoming training is the second edition and will also mark a milestone as one of the first major events hosted at the recently launched Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) in Abuja, Kale says.

The AATC has been designed as a strategic hub for trade facilitation, investment promotion and business collaboration.

By equipping African businesses with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the AfCFTA, Afreximbank aims to help unlock Africa’s vast trade potential and drive economic transformation across the continent.

The training programme is being implemented by Afreximbank in collaboration with the American University in Cairo and the AfCFTA Secretariat.