Continental summit to focus on standards, quality infrastructure and regulatory reforms needed to unlock intra-African trade and strengthen global competitiveness
African policymakers, business leaders and international development partners will converge in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 23–24 November 2026 for the Africa Trade Development Forum (ATDF) 2026, as the continent intensifies efforts to strengthen trade competitiveness by addressing non-tariff barriers that continue to constrain exports and regional commerce.
The biennial forum, jointly hosted by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration and TradeMark Africa (TMA), comes at a critical moment for Africa’s economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and amid evolving global trade dynamics.
Unlike recent international debates dominated by tariff policies, organisers argue that Africa’s greatest trade challenge lies in the technical, regulatory, financial and logistical requirements businesses must satisfy before products can enter regional and international markets.
According to the organisers, these non-tariff barriers – including compliance procedures, quality certification, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, testing requirements and customs processes—add an estimated 15 to 30 per cent to regional trade costs.
Drawing on findings by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the organisers noted that eliminating these barriers could increase intra-African trade by as much as 52 per cent.
The forum will therefore focus on practical reforms aimed at harmonising standards, reducing compliance costs, strengthening quality infrastructure and improving certification systems that enable African products to compete more effectively in global markets.
Commenting on the significance of the gathering, Chairman of TradeMark Africa and former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, said Africa’s next phase of trade expansion will depend increasingly on demonstrating product quality and international compliance rather than relying solely on market access.
“The next phase of Africa’s trade growth will depend on African firms showing that their products are as good as those of anywhere in the world. Businesses are up for the challenge—we need to help assess and certify their goods without creating unnecessary burdens.”
Similarly, Ethiopia’s Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Dr Kassahun Gofe, said hosting the forum reflects the country’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s trade systems through improved standards, industrial competitiveness and quality infrastructure.
“Standards and quality infrastructure are central to industrial growth, market confidence and the ability of African producers to compete within the continent and beyond.”
Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer of TradeMark Africa, David Beer, stressed that Africa’s trade ambitions will depend on building systems that inspire confidence among international buyers.
“Quality systems underpin trust. They are fundamental to helping African businesses demonstrate that their products meet the highest international standards.”
The organisers said discussions will centre on accelerating reforms that improve export readiness, strengthen industrial competitiveness and reduce the frequency of African goods being rejected in international markets because of compliance deficiencies.
The forum is expected to attract heads of government, trade ministers, industrialists, policymakers, development finance institutions and private sector leaders seeking practical solutions to improve Africa’s participation in regional and global value chains.
BrandiQ Insight
Africa’s Biggest Trade Challenge Is No Longer Tariffs
One of the most significant shifts in global trade policy is the growing recognition that tariffs are no longer the principal obstacle to international commerce. For many African exporters, the greater challenge lies in meeting increasingly complex technical standards governing food safety, product quality, environmental compliance, packaging, traceability and certification.
In many cases, these compliance costs now exceed the tariffs themselves, making regulatory capacity a strategic determinant of export competitiveness.
Competitiveness Begins with Standards
The Africa Trade Development Forum highlights an important reality: market access is meaningful only when products can consistently satisfy international quality requirements.
As African economies seek to diversify beyond raw commodity exports, investment in standards agencies, testing laboratories, certification systems and quality assurance will become increasingly important. Countries with stronger quality infrastructure are likely to attract greater investment, expand manufacturing capacity and integrate more successfully into global supply chains.
AfCFTA Requires Institutional Readiness
The African Continental Free Trade Area has created one of the world’s largest free trade zones. However, tariff liberalisation alone will not unlock its full economic potential.
The effectiveness of AfCFTA will depend on harmonised regulations, efficient customs systems, interoperable standards and predictable trade procedures that enable businesses to move goods across borders with minimal friction. Institutional reform is therefore becoming just as important as trade policy itself.
Implications for Nigeria
For Nigeria, improving export competitiveness will require sustained investment in quality infrastructure, standards enforcement, logistics efficiency and regulatory modernisation.
As the country pursues export diversification and industrial development, strengthening agencies responsible for product testing, certification and trade facilitation will be critical to helping Nigerian manufacturers access regional and international markets.
Reducing compliance bottlenecks could significantly improve the competitiveness of sectors such as agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, textiles and digital services.
The Bigger Picture
The future of African trade will not be determined solely by the removal of tariffs. It will increasingly depend on the continent’s ability to build institutions that support quality, transparency and regulatory confidence.
For Africa, the next frontier of trade competitiveness is no longer simply opening borders—it is building the standards, certification systems and governance frameworks that enable African businesses to compete successfully in the global marketplace.
In the emerging global trading system, quality has become as important as market access, and institutional capability is becoming a decisive source of competitive advantage.
