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South Africa's role in the African Continental Free Trade Area: opportunities ahead

The Intra-Africa Trade Fair Roadshow that was held in Johannesburg recently. Image: Afreximbank South Africa is set to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), reaffirming its commitment to harness its immense potential for driving local business growth and enhancing regional integration. This sentiment was echoed by Humphrey Nwugo, the Regional Director (Southern Africa) at Afreximbank, during the opening of the IATF2025 South Africa Business Roadshow in Johannesburg, where he urged the nation to spring into action. Nwugo said, 'This is the time for South Africa's public and private sectors to be strategically positioned to seize the immense opportunities that IATF2025 will present,' emphasising the need for immediate and decisive engagement. The Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025), scheduled to take place in Algiers from 4–10 September 2025, is anticipated to be a landmark event—providing a gateway to unprecedented trade and investment opportunities across the continent. Nwugo further outlined South Africa's integral role in African integration, praising its robust economic foundations, entrepreneurial dynamism, and institutional capacity, which place it in a prime position to entwine itself within African value chains. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Speaking on the event's significance, Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, pointed to the pressing need for IATF2025 amid a backdrop of global instability and dynamic trade landscapes. 'Despite these headwinds, Africa has the capacity to navigate the challenges, accelerate industrial development, and realise the vision of a fully integrated continent.' Mene underscored the urgency of cultivating regional value chains in sectors such as automotive and agribusiness, where there is considerable scope for fostering inclusive growth. Sihle Zikalala, deputy minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, said South Africa's participation in the AfCFTA represents a historic opportunity to weave stronger economic ties with neighbouring nations. 'We view the AfCFTA as a catalyst for expanding market access for our goods and services while nurturing inclusive, job-rich growth,' Zikalala said. At the heart of this discourse was a vision that IATF2025 should transcend its role as merely a marketplace, transforming instead into a strategic tool for bolstering policy and practical integration. Zikalala said, 'through partnerships and public-private collaboration, we can develop world-class infrastructure across Africa while reducing our reliance on foreign exchange by trading in our own currencies.' Over 350 business leaders, policymakers, and investors convened at the Roadshow, contextualised under the theme: 'Harnessing Regional and Continental Value Chains: Accelerating Africa's Industrialisation and Global Competitiveness under the AfCFTA.' The event's agenda spotlighted strategies focused on enhancing resilient supply chains while amplifying intra-African trade—a critical element for unlocking tailored industrial opportunities across the continent. According to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and UN COMTRADE, South Africa's robust trade activities recorded merchandise exports worth $110.5 billion against imports of $113.2 billion in 2023. Despite a modest trade deficit of $2.7 billion, trade constituted 65.7% of GDP, illuminating South Africa's deep-rooted integration within global markets. Afreximbank's 2024 African Trade Report highlighted that South Africa exported $29.6 billion to African partners while importing $9.6 billion, with intra-African exports making up 26.8% of the total exports.