Leaders call for collective action to boost digital trade in Africa

Stanley Ihedigbo

The 2025 inaugural African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Forum, held in Lusaka, Zambia, brought together over 1,500 participants to discuss the future of digital trade in Africa.

The forum highlighted the urgent need for investment in digital infrastructure, harmonized regulations, and capacity-building initiatives to equip African youth, women, and small enterprises to compete in the digital age.

The discussions emphasized the importance of strengthening digital infrastructure, supporting African-owned platforms, promoting digital skills development, and adopting harmonized regulations that prioritize inclusivity and security.

By working together to stay the course for digital trade under the AfCFTA, the economic growth of the continent can be secured.

The AfCFTA Secretariat, in partnership with the Google Hustle Academy, launched the AfCFTA Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship Programme.

This initiative aimed to bridge Africa’s digital skills gap and empower a new generation of entrepreneurs. The program is a key step towards ensuring that Africa’s youth and small enterprises are equipped to participate in the digital economy.

The forum also honoured the top ten finalists of the AfCFTA Digital Innovation Challenge, affirming the role of African solutions in driving the continent’s economic transformation. The challenge showcased innovative solutions that can help Africa build a thriving digital economy that leaves no one behind and secures its place as a global leader in innovation, resilience, and integration.

The AfCFTA has the potential to significantly boost intra-African trade, particularly in value-added production and services sectors. By eliminating barriers to trade within the continent, the AfCFTA can increase intra-African trade by 52.3% through tariffs.

As Africa moves from negotiation to implementation, the momentum generated in Lusaka sets the tone that digital trade is not a future ambition, but a present imperative.