Global Trade Frictions a Wake-Up Call for Africa — ACCP

The African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP) has asserted that intensifying global trade disputes should act as a powerful trigger for Africa to unlock the full potential of its continental marketplace.

In a statement the Chamber called on African leaders to fast-track the comprehensive execution of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to strengthen economic independence and protect the continent from external shocks.

“The spectacle of global powers turning trade corridors and supply chains into strategic weapons is a clear alarm for Africa,” said Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, President of the ACCP.

“Africa’s persistent dependence on imports of goods and services from outside the continent exposes us to disruptions beyond our control. The era of slow consultations must end; decisive measures to boost intra-African production and commerce must begin immediately,” he stressed.

The Chamber observed that although the AfCFTA represents a historic milestone, implementation hurdles continue to impede meaningful progress.

“A major concern is the limited awareness and uptake among businesses that are supposed to benefit. Across 11 leading African economies, intra-African trade represented only 11.8 percent of total trade in 2023  a figure that has fallen since the agreement took effect. The ACCP is urging the African Union to spearhead an extensive advocacy drive to clarify AfCFTA procedures and opportunities for both small enterprises and large corporations,” the release noted.

The Chamber’s remarks come at a time of mounting dissatisfaction within the private sector. The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has cautioned that local firms cannot continue to wait for the promised dividends of the AfCFTA.

Addressing journalists after the AGI’s national council retreat in Accra on February 13, 2026, AGI President Kofi Nsiah-Poku said exporters were growing increasingly restless.

“We cannot afford endless delays; our goods are market-ready. With stronger intergovernmental cooperation, exports can commence without being trapped in drawn-out administrative processes,” he said.

He described a troubling contradiction in which shipping products to Europe or Asia can be more straightforward than trading with neighbouring countries such as Togo and Côte d’Ivoire, citing burdensome documentation requirements, inconsistent border management and logistical inefficiencies.

The ACCP further indicated that fewer than ten African states have fully domesticated AfCFTA provisions, creating a fragmented regulatory landscape. It also highlighted a trade finance shortfall estimated between $81 billion and $120 billion annually, alongside infrastructure gaps that render intra-African maritime transport expensive and sluggish.

Among its recommendations, the Chamber proposed a continent-wide “Build It Here” campaign aimed at mobilising African and diaspora engineers and entrepreneurs to expand rail networks and establish advanced industrial hubs.

It referenced initiatives such as the Skyleader 600 aircraft assembled in Tanzania and Kiira Coaches manufactured in Uganda as illustrations of the transformative potential of coordinated continental investment.

On monetary integration, the ACCP urged rapid progress toward a single African digital currency, warning that sustained reliance on foreign exchange systems could weaken financial sovereignty.

While applauding the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) as a vital development, the Chamber emphasised the importance of widespread sensitisation to foster confidence in emerging payment solutions.

“We require more initiatives that encourage Africans to collaborate, innovate and envision a shared destiny,” Nana Dwomoh-Doyen said.

He explained that this vision motivated the Chamber’s partnership with MK Casting and the National Film Authority of Ghana to launch the Africa Monologue Challenge.

The project has since entered a strategic alliance with the Africa Prosperity Network, with the Uganda Communications Commission acting as Executive Producers for its inaugural Pan-African feature film in Uganda.

Ambassador David Adofo, the ACCP’s Head of Research and Development, maintained that geopolitical tensions and disruptions to international trade routes would have minimal consequences if Africa prioritised investment in research, innovation and human capital.

“Picture cocoa from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire blended with milk from Uganda, processed using machinery from Ethiopia to create chocolate that is entirely African in origin,” he illustrated.

Board member Ambassador Nana Nketia pointed to Quality Chemicals Industrial Limited in Uganda, a fully African-owned pharmaceutical manufacturer producing essential medicines, including antiretroviral drugs as evidence of the continent’s capability to achieve self-sufficiency.

The ACCP concluded that attaining “local content sovereignty” across goods, services and storytelling is an urgent strategic necessity for safeguarding Africa’s economic resilience and enhancing its global influence.