A major new survey of small and medium-sized enterprises across Africa has revealed a sobering truth: 34% of business owners say the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are slipping through their fingers due to poor infrastructure and weak logistics.
For many, the promise of AfCFTA was a game changer free movement of goods, a unified market, and new economic opportunities across borders. But on the ground, manufacturers and entrepreneurs say they’re facing the same old roadblocks. Bad roads, unreliable electricity, port congestion, and slow customs procedures are still choking the flow of business.
While policymakers continue to celebrate the deal on paper, small business owners are asking for action. They argue that until Africa fixes the physical and operational bottlenecks that keep trade expensive and inefficient, the agreement won’t truly deliver on its promise. Their message is simple: political unity is important, but practical change is essential.
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