African free trade zone: Togo hosts biashara afrika 2026 forum

At the opening of the third edition of the Biashara Afrika forum in Lomé, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé urged African nations and business leaders to convert the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) vision into tangible economic outcomes.

Speaking to government officials, investors, entrepreneurs, and partners from across the continent, Gnassingbé emphasized the urgency of shifting from policy declarations to measurable results that benefit African citizens. « The era of vision must give way to an era of execution, » he stated, highlighting the need for decisive economic action and deeper regional integration.

The Lomé forum, jointly organized by the Togolese government and the AfCFTA Secretariat, serves as a strategic platform to accelerate intra-African trade and strengthen regional value chains. Its primary mission is to foster dialogue and collaboration among policymakers, investors, and business owners to unlock the continent’s economic potential.

Gnassingbé underscored Africa’s growing readiness for this transformation. With a vast consumer market, abundant natural resources, a youthful workforce, and the AfCFTA’s unified legal framework, the continent now has the essential ingredients for success. He stressed that the focus must shift to policy efficiency, strategic investments, and streamlining trade facilitation to ensure that economic benefits reach every corner of the continent.

The Togolese leader also positioned Togo as a model of economic integration in progress. He highlighted the country’s expanding logistics infrastructure, particularly the deep-water port of Lomé, along with ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing the business environment and attracting foreign direct investment.

Despite notable progress, several obstacles persist. Non-tariff barriers, infrastructure gaps, financing challenges, and the limited participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in cross-border trade continue to hinder the continent’s economic integration efforts.

The Biashara Afrika 2026 initiative is designed to address these hurdles by fostering partnerships, mobilizing investments, and identifying practical solutions to convert Africa’s economic potential into inclusive and sustainable growth across the continent.