Pan-African Group Launches Digital Marketplace to Boost Intra-Continental Trade

A Pan-African group has launched a digital marketplace aimed at expanding intra-continental trade and strengthening economic integration across Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

The unveiling took place in Abuja over the weekend during activities marking Africa Day 2026, alongside the commissioning of the Pan-African AU Agenda 2063 Diplomatic Mission and the PAC-SM Secretariat. The celebration was held under the theme “Unity, Youth & Sustainable Water for Africa’s Future.”

Chairman of the Pan-African Continental Super Marketplace (PAC-SM), Dr Patrick Sule Ugboma, said the platform was designed to connect African producers directly to markets, improve visibility for locally made goods, and remove long-standing barriers to trade across borders.

He said the initiative goes beyond a digital listing platform, stressing that it is anchored on value addition, industrial support and youth inclusion to unlock Africa’s economic potential.

“Africa possesses immense talent, resources and creativity capable of competing globally,” he said. “This marketplace is our contribution to Agenda 2063 and the Africa we want. It is about creating opportunity for African businesses to grow beyond their borders.”

Ugboma added that processing centres would be established to help producers meet quality standards required for regional and international markets.

According to him, many African products fail to scale not because of lack of demand, but due to weak processing, packaging and certification systems.

“We are establishing processing centres where producers can refine their products, improve standards and access wider markets. This is about building capacity, not just listing goods online,” he said.

He further explained that the platform integrates logistics partnerships and payment systems to ease cross-border transactions and support small and medium-scale enterprises.

Responding to questions on the platform’s sustainability and relevance amid existing trade initiatives, President of the Pan-African AU Agenda 2063 Diplomatic Mission, Dr Stephen Ben-Joel, said Africa currently trades far below its potential.

He put intra-African trade capacity at about 15 per cent, noting that the platform was designed to close structural and operational gaps.

“We have gone beyond a digital centre alone. We are building processing support systems, financial linkages and training structures that help African producers meet standards and access markets,” he said.

Ben-Joel said the initiative is already engaging African financial institutions and trade stakeholders, adding that partnerships with regional bodies were aimed at improving visibility and market access.

Vice President of the mission, Dr Felix Ojoniko Arome, said collaboration with ministries of foreign affairs across African countries remained critical to ensuring seamless trade movement.

“You cannot drive international trade without strong collaboration with foreign affairs institutions,” he said. “We are working across several African countries to secure the right frameworks for movement of goods, payments and logistics.”

He added that efforts were ongoing to promote local currency transactions through African payment systems to reduce dependence on foreign exchange in cross-border trade.

The organisers said the broader goal is to position Africa as a fully integrated trading bloc under AfCFTA, driven by digital innovation, stronger institutions and improved production capacity for local entrepreneurs.