Africa Trade Awards 2026 Honour Leaders Boosting Industrialisation
The Africa Trade Awards 2026 have celebrated leaders and institutions driving industrialisation and intra African trade, with renewed calls for stronger commitment to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
At the ceremony in Accra on January 29, Ghana’s Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, urged African nations to focus on practical implementation, discipline, and political will to unlock AfCFTA’s full benefits.
“AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area by number of countries, but its promise will only be realised through consistent implementation, infrastructure alignment, and institutional discipline,” she said.
She praised award recipients for their resilience and leadership, describing them as key drivers of Africa’s trade and industrial transformation. Prof. Opoku Agyemang stressed that Africa’s economic independence depends on processing its own resources, supporting small and medium sized enterprises, and creating sustainable jobs. She also highlighted youth and women empowerment as central to inclusive growth.
The Awards Gala, part of the Africa Trade Summit’s closing ceremony, brought together Heads of State, government officials, industry leaders, and regional organisations.
President of São Tomé and Príncipe, Carlos Vila Nova, urged African leaders to bridge the gap between policy ambition and real results. He warned that delays in implementation undermine investor confidence and job creation, describing time as “Africa’s most expensive deficit.”
From the private sector, Sir Sam Jonah, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the African Trade Chamber, said Africa’s industrialisation agenda requires coordination and focused execution. “Infrastructure must serve production and trade, not prestige, and borders must become bridges for commerce rather than barriers of bureaucracy,” he noted.
The 2026 Africa Trade Awards recognised excellence in five categories: continental leadership, industry performance, enterprise growth, trade systems, and distinguished service.
Among the top honourees, former Afreximbank President Prof. Benedict Oramah was named Africa Trade Leader of the Year, while Afreximbank received the Africa Trade Finance Architect of the Year award. Other winners included the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam for Industrial Energy Project of the Year, Elsewedy Electric for Advanced Manufacturing Excellence, Aspen Pharmacare for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, and Patricia Poku Diaby for Women in Trade and Industry Leadership.
Organisers said the Awards will serve as an annual benchmark for recognising leadership that strengthens Africa’s industrial base, deepens regional value chains, and promotes intra African trade under AfCFTA. They stressed that Africa’s transformation will depend on discipline, coordination, and sustained execution rather than declarations alone.
