Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has called for more investments in infrastructure across Africa to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA)
Mahama said during the Heads of State session of the 2025 edition of the Africa Prosperity Dialogue on Saturday that the continent stood to unlock a 3.2-trillion-dollar single market through investing in the critical infrastructure needed for a smooth-running free trade area.
“We must invest in efficient road and rail networks, airports, seaports, and digital connectivity. We must strengthen the supply chain on the continent to ensure that our industries produce goods and services that meet both domestic and global standards,” Mahama urged.
He said that is why the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the most transformative initiatives in recent times, emphasizing its potential to create the largest free trade area in the world and provide a game-changing opportunity for African businesses, entrepreneurs, and industries.
“The AfCFTA is the game-changer. To fully benefit, African governments must work hand-in-hand with the private sector through special economic zones to facilitate production and trade,” the Ghanaian president urged.
He also called for “increased access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and investments in technical and vocational education to equip the youth with the skills needed for the industries of the future.”
Mahama said Ghana is proud to be home to both the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Africa Prosperity Dialogue, pledging his continuous support for its success.
Also at the heads of state session were Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe and President Azali Assoumani of Comoros.
The annual Africa Prosperity Dialogues are a collaboration between the African Prosperity Network, a continent-wide development think tank seeking to inspire growth through well-thought-out policies, and the AfCFTA Secretariat.
The continental free trade area was established by the African Union in March 2018 to promote intra-African trade and industrialization to create decent jobs for the youth of the continent and create the enabling environment for SMEs and women-led businesses to grow.