Only 13% of Africans Aware of AfCFTA – Afrobarometer
Only 13% of Africans have heard of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), despite growing public support for free trade across the continent, according to a new report by Afrobarometer.
The findings are contained in the 2026 African Insights flagship report, Beyond Borders: Citizen Perspectives on a Shifting Global Order, which is based on nationally representative surveys conducted across 38 African countries in 2024 and 2025.
The report highlights a striking gap between public support for increased international trade and awareness of Africa’s flagship economic integration initiative, which is designed to expand intra-African commerce and strengthen economic cooperation among countries.
According to the report, only 13% of respondents across the continent said they had heard of the AfCFTA. Awareness was highest in Guinea-Bissau, where 27% of citizens were familiar with the agreement, followed by Gabon at 26% and Cabo Verde at 24%.
At the other end of the scale, awareness stood at just 5% in Tunisia and 4% in Mauritania.
Ghana, which was among the first countries to ratify the agreement and hosts the AfCFTA Secretariat, recorded awareness of only 17% among citizens.
While knowledge of the agreement remains low, support for free trade has increased significantly. About 62% of Africans agree that it is better for their economies when governments make it easier to trade with other countries to create economic opportunities. This compares with 34% who prefer restrictions on trade to protect local producers.
The figure represents a notable increase from five years ago, when 51% supported greater international trade.
Support for free trade constitutes a majority view in 32 of the 38 countries surveyed. Central Africa recorded 65% support, followed by West Africa with 65% and Southern Africa with 64%.
Liberia recorded the highest level of support at 86%, followed by Eswatini at 85% and Chad at 79%.
However, Africans appear to favour wider global trade rather than restricting economic partnerships to the continent. Some 66% said governments should expand trading relationships globally, while 20% preferred prioritising trade within Africa and 8% favoured focusing on their subregion.
Afrobarometer said the findings reveal a disconnect between ambitious continental trade policies and public awareness. It urged governments to invest in targeted public education and communication to explain the benefits of intra-African trade.
The report cautioned that popular support for the AfCFTA should not be taken for granted, stressing that effective public engagement will be critical to sustaining the agreement and turning continental trade ambitions into tangible economic opportunities.
