Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has called on African nations to capitalize on intra-Africa trade and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to foster economic growth across the continent.
Mbah emphasized that Africa has the potential, through strong regional collaboration and trade facilitation, to create its own opportunities rather than waiting for external invitations or relying on aid.
This message was shared in a statement by his Senior Special Adviser on External Relations, Uche Anichukwu, on Tuesday in Enugu. The Governor’s comments were made during the 2025 Commonwealth Enterprises and Investment Council summit in London.
In his address, Mbah underscored that the need for such integration and trade facilitation is more urgent than ever, given the current global and existential challenges facing Africa.
“Africa’s large population, combined with a Gross Domestic Product of $3.4 trillion and 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, means the continent should be building its own table, not waiting for an invitation,” Mbah stated.
However, Mbah pointed out that turning Africa’s vast potential into tangible economic development for its people remains a challenge. He proposed that leveraging intra-Africa trade is one key solution.
Citing the World Bank, Mbah noted that AfCFTA could lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty, increase incomes for 68 million people, and boost Africa’s income by $450 billion by 2035.
Despite these possibilities, Mbah expressed concern that many AfCFTA objectives—such as removing tariffs and non-tariff barriers—remain unrealized. He also questioned how Africa’s $40 billion annual food import bill could be justified, given these challenges.
The Governor lamented that the dream of a unified African common market is still far from reality. He pointed out that intra-African trade stands at only 14.4%, compared to 69% in Europe and 59% in Asia. Furthermore, high intra-continental flight costs, poor road infrastructure, and inadequate maritime and rail systems exacerbate trade inefficiencies. These issues cost Africa over $4 billion annually in lost trade.
Mbah concluded that these disheartening statistics are particularly concerning given that it’s nearly a decade since the AfCFTA was signed.
[Source: NAN]
