AfCFTA targets $250bn intra-African trade, lauds Lagos on industrial, digital transformation
The African Continental Free Trade Area has set its sights on a $250 billion intra-African trade target, and Secretary-General Wamkele Mene is pointing to Lagos as a model for what that ambition can look like in practice. Mene recently praised the city for its progress in industrial and digital transformation, positioning it as a reference point for other African cities working to plug into the continental trade framework.
Lagos has long been one of Africa's most dynamic economic hubs, and the AfCFTA's recognition of its transformation signals a broader push to get major urban centres driving the bloc's goals from the ground up. The continental agreement, which connects 54 African nations, has been building momentum as a vehicle for reducing trade barriers and keeping more commerce within the continent.
The $250 billion figure is not just an aspirational number. It represents a deliberate strategy to shift African economies away from dependence on external markets and toward each other. With cities like Lagos being held up as examples of what industrial and digital investment can produce, the conversation is now turning to which city steps up next.
Originally published by BusinessDay.