Get Guardian on GoogleAfrican sub-sovereign governments, national governments, Afreximbank and private investors have been assigned distinct responsibilities to unlock trade and investment at sub-national level.
The assignments are contained in the communique of the 6th African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) Investment Conference, held from 12th to 14th November 2026 at the Calabar International Convention Centre, Cross River State.
The conference was held under the auspices of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), hosted by the Government of Cross River State in partnership with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
The communique presented by Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu called on sub-sovereign governments to foster consistent, investment-friendly policies, promote Africa-to-Africa direct investment and local value addition, and share information on Afreximbank products with businesses and stakeholders.
It called on national governments and relevant institutions to simplify customs and trade documentation, improve cross-border infrastructure, and support the implementation of trade facilitation instruments, including the Africa Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme to reduce delays and the cost of intra-African trade.
It called on Afreximbank and development partners to facilitate appropriate financing, trade facilitation, advisory and capacity-building support for eligible sub-sovereign projects.
The conference recalled Afreximbank’s $2 billion financing commitment to support AfSNET members’ trade and investment requirements.
It acknowledged Afreximbank’s presentation of financing, project preparation, industrialisation, trade facilitation and market access initiatives, including support for special economic zones, the African Trade Distribution Company, African Buyers Program, border market infrastructure, transit guarantees, Export Agriculture for Food Security Initiative, and African Quality Assurance Centres.
It also acknowledged initiatives on Africa-to-Africa direct investment, automotive development, the Adjustment Fund, Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), MANSA, and the Intra-African Trade Fair.
It called on private investors, project developers and operators to pursue commercially sound partnerships that support industrialisation, productive investment and intra-African trade.
The conference noted a pipeline of 134 investment opportunities across 14 sectors with an indicative value of approximately $9.5 million, and stressed the need to advance them towards investment readiness and implementation.
It noted deliberations on maritime and border infrastructure, special economic zones, industrialisation, tourism, the orange economy, and other opportunities to expand intra-African trade.
The conference was themed “The Role of Sub-Sovereigns in Catalyzing Development Through Trade and Investment.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declared the conference open, and performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bakassi Deep Seaport.
The conference expressed gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Governor Bassey Otu and the people of Cross River State, and to Afreximbank and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
It reaffirmed commitment to translating Africa’s sub-sovereign economic potential into productive investments, stronger intra-African trade, expanded economic opportunities and sustainable development.
