The just-concluded second African Continental Free Trade AreaAfrican Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat Digital Trade Forum 2026 has urged member states to recommit to accelerating the implementation of Africa’s digital trade framework.

The conference, held in Lagos, emphasised the need to move from policy design to the execution of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade, which is intended to establish a unified, trusted and inclusive digital market across the continent.

The two-day forum brought together government officials, private-sector leaders, development partners, regulators, and innovators to deepen collaboration to implement the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol and unlock new opportunities for African businesses in the digital economy.

Presenting eight calls to action, Chief Technical Advisor of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Gilberto Antonio, stressed that while the protocol provides a strong regulatory foundation, its impact depends on practical implementation across African economies.

Reaffirming its leadership in advancing Africa’s digital economy, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, declared that digital trade would be a key driver of continental integration, inclusive growth and economic transformation under AfCFTA.
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Speaking on the theme, ‘Digital Trade for a Connected African Market’, she highlighted reforms that directly support digital businesses, including the Tax Reform Act and the Investment and Securities Act 2025, which strengthened intellectual property protections designed to encourage innovation and investment.
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She added that the ministry also undertook Africa’s first comprehensive mapping of Nigeria’s digital services ecosystem, resulting in the continent’s first directory of digital services firms and the identification of priority expansion markets, including Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa.
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She said Nigeria was also leading efforts to reduce regulatory barriers through the Digital Trade Regulators’ Working Group, which is developing guidelines on market entry and investment for African digital service firms to simplify licensing requirements, improve transparency and lower the cost of expanding across African markets.

Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, commended Nigeria for hosting the event and its leadership in driving the implementation of the Digital Trade Protocol. He described the forum as the continent’s foremost platform for promoting awareness, collaboration and practical implementation of digital trade.

Mene said Africa’s digital economy, currently valued at approximately $712 billion, would be driven by expanding mobile connectivity, fintech innovation, artificial intelligence, and a youthful population.
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He called for the accelerated ratification and domestication of the Digital Trade Protocol, while urging governments to strengthen digital infrastructure, harmonise regulations, promote digital inclusion, and support women, youth, and MSMEs in participating fully in cross-border digital commerce.