The Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, has called on African policymakers financiers and businesses to strengthen collaboration to accelerate intra African trade and unlock the continent’s economic potential.
Ogbonna made the remarks while welcoming participants to the Africa Trade Conference 2026 in Cape Town South Africa. He highlighted the urgent need to remove structural barriers that continue to limit trade across Africa despite its vast market opportunities.
“Last year we asked ourselves a simple question how can Africa trade with itself and with the rest of the world in a way that creates shared prosperity beyond just numbers. The facts were sobering. Africa still controls a small share of global trade and many small businesses that aspire to trade across borders remain constrained,” Ogbonna said.
He explained that discussions at the first Africa Trade Conference in 2025 identified three priority areas needed to transform trade on the continent. ATC 2026 aims to continue those conversations and push for actionable measures that deepen trade integration across African markets.
Ogbonna acknowledged progress in some areas but noted that structural challenges such as fragmented trade corridors, infrastructure gaps, and high cost of finance continue to hinder seamless trade. He also emphasized the growing role of technology platforms in improving payments logistics and market access across borders, but cautioned that these gains remain uneven and concentrated in a few regions.
He identified key constraints including fragmented payment systems limited trade information and high financing costs for small and medium enterprises. According to Ogbonna addressing these challenges is essential for Africa to fully realize its intra continental trade potential and achieve inclusive economic growth.
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