Leveraging Africa’s Trade Engine To Drive Intra-African Growth

As trading within African countries centers on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a new private sector initiative, Africa Trade Engine (ATE), is set to transform production and commerce across the continent.

The platform, launched in Lagos, aims to link manufacturers to markets, drive local value creation, and scale intra-African trade through data, technology, and collaboration.

Speaking at the launch, ATE chairman, Mr. Adam Molai, described the initiative as “an end-to-end engine that transforms African production into continental prosperity.” He explained that the platform is designed to integrate every stage of industrial activity from product design, contract manufacturing, and data-driven scheduling, to distribution and last-mile market access.

According to Molai, ATE represents “a vehicle to commercialise African production, localise value, and democratise access to markets for African manufacturers, large and small alike.”  He noted that the platform embodies a new philosophy of collaboration across the continent, moving away from the long-standing divisions that have hindered growth.

“I’ve always been a fervent believer that Africa will only develop once we create our own models of collaboration — when we begin to see one another not as competitors but as partners in progress,” he said.

Molai observed that despite decades of trade liberalisation, intra-African trade remains low at about 20 per cent of the continent’s total commerce, compared to over 70 per cent in Europe. That statistic alone tells us one thing: our continent has yet to trade with itself at scale, he noted. He expressed optimism that, with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and platforms like ATE, the story is about to change.

He stressed that ATE is designed to bridge the gap between policy and execution, adding that Africa’s integration must now be delivered through action rather than declarations. “We are here to create the commercial pathway that makes integration real  not through declarations but through delivery. By linking factories to markets, by using data to drive production, technology to drive logistics, and partnerships to drive growth,” Molai said.

Also, commenting at the event, the chief executive officer of Africa Trade Depot, Mr. Kachi Izukanne said, the Africa Trade Engine was born out of a shared vision to rewrite Africa as a continent that makes what it sells and sells what it makes.

He asserted that, for too long, Africa’s production ecosystem has relied heavily on imports of goods that can be produced locally. “There are brands we work with that import aerosols and lotions from South America and Eastern Europe, with products that can easily be made in Africa. In real terms, a can of aerosol is about 85 per cent water. We are importing very expensive water halfway across the world,” he averred.

He, however, noted that, the platform will also empower small and mid-sized African brands to compete with global producers. “Think of a young entrepreneur who has created a skincare brand that truly works for African consumers but lacks the capacity to compete on store shelves. ATE provides the engine that enables such businesses to manufacture at world-class standards, access distribution networks, and reach consumers at scale,” Izukanne said.

Izukanne added that, ATE’s long-term goal goes beyond business growth to include sustainability and inclusive development. “By localising production, we can save over 250,000 tons of carbon emissions annually, with the equivalent of removing 55,000 cars from our roads. Over the next 24 months, we project that more than $2 billion in value will be retained within the continent. This is not just good for business; it is good for our communities and for the planet,” he concluded.