news & insights

Despite the promise of AfCFTA, intra-African trade remains below 15%. High transport costs, bureaucratic delays, and uncoordinated customs procedures hinder cross-border movement, raising costs by up to 40% compared to global averages (AfDB +2).

Infrastructure Note: Trans-African Highways

• Digital Border Clearance Not Harmonized – While some countries have online systems, lack of interoperability causes delays.

• Truck Queues at Borders Extend for Days – Reports from East Africa show border delays of 48–72 hours even for low-risk goods.

Policy Outlook: Coordinated Trade Facilitation

AfCFTA implementation needs strong regulatory harmonization and funding for joint infrastructure. Experts call for a continental freight data network, regional dispute resolution, and automated customs systems. Without these, logistics inefficiencies will persist, limiting the full trade potential of the region (Bloomberg +3).

The Lagos–Mombasa corridor upgrade seeks to reduce freight times by over 10 days. However, construction delays and limited regional coordination threaten its effectiveness (World Bank +1).