In a watershed milestone for intra-African integration, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat headquartered in Accra has confirmed the full integration of 24 member states into the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI).
The framework eliminates cross-border tariffs on over 12,000 certified product lines, enabling frictionless overland and maritime cargo movement between North, West, East, and Southern Africa.
Major commercial corridors including the Lagos-Abidjan highway and the Northern Corridor connecting Mombasa to Kigali have witnessed cargo clearing times plunge from an average of 14 days down to less than 36 hours thanks to digital customs pre-clearance certificates.
"This is not just paperwork; it is the economic liberation of our producers," said AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene. "We are keeping value inside Africa and fostering massive domestic supply chains."