Afreximbank launches third AfCFTA bootcamp, firms urged to tap trade pact

Dr Yemi Kale, Afreximbank's Group Chief Economist and Managing Director of Research. [Brian Ngugi, Standard]

African companies, including those from Kenya, are set to receive a fresh boost in navigating the continent's long-touted free trade area as a third training programme opens next month, aiming to bridge a persistent gap between the AfCFTA's promise and its real-world use.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) said on Wednesday it will hold the three-day programme in Cairo from June 16-18, developed with the American University in Cairo and the AfCFTA Secretariat.

The initiative comes as traders and corporations across the continent continue to underutilise the African Continental Free Trade Area, which launched trading in 2021 but has struggled to translate legal provisions into commercial reality.

"Limited understanding of its technical provisions and practical applications continues to hinder the full realisation of its benefits," Afreximbank said in a statement, acknowledging that while the pact holds significant potential to drive economic development, many businesses lack the know-how to capitalise.

The programme is designed to equip participants with practical skills to identify trade opportunities, manage export-import operations, and navigate trade finance and supply chains.

Organisers say it will translate the AfCFTA's treaty language into business-ready strategies, offering clarity on regulatory and market requirements.

For Kenya, a signatory to the AfCFTA, the training could provide a much-needed catalyst.

Kenyan traders have faced hurdles, including rules of origin, customs delays, and limited access to trade finance, mirroring continent-wide challenges that have kept intra-African trade stubbornly low at around 15 per cent of total African commerce, compared to nearly 70 per cent in Europe.

Dr Yemi Kale, Afreximbank's Group Chief Economist, described the programme as "a strategic platform for advancing the adoption and deepening the understanding of the AfCFTA among key stakeholders, particularly corporates."

He added that participants would leave with a holistic grasp of the agreement's genesis and dimensions, enabling them to assess ongoing negotiations and capitalise on opportunities.

Mohamed Ali, Director of Trade in Goods at the AfCFTA Secretariat, said the collaboration with Afreximbank reinforces "a shared commitment to equip African businesses with the practical knowledge, tools, and institutional support required to effectively utilise the agreement."

The training, delivered through the Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD), will also help firms examine challenges and prospects underlying the pact.

Stephen Tio Kauma, Afreximbank's Managing Director for Human Resources, said the academy continues to serve as a leading trade knowledge hub, empowering businesses to "scale, innovate, and play a leading role in the continent's economic transformation."

Afreximbank, a multilateral lender with over $48.5 billion in total assets as of December 2025, has been a stalwart backer of the AfCFTA, launching a $10 billion Adjustment Fund and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to underpin the trade area.

The training programme marks the latest effort to move the pact from paper to practice, starting with African boardrooms.