The World Trade Organisation has urged African countries to strengthen regional value chains, industrialisation and infrastructure to increase their influence in global trade.


WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala made the call at a conference on Africa and the Geoeconomics of African States, Integration, Power and Structural Transformation, on Monday in Abuja.


Ms Okonjo-Iweala said Africa was strategically positioned to benefit from changing global trade patterns. She cited the continent’s natural resources, youthful population and connections with international markets as key advantages.


Ms Okonjo-Iweala said Africa held nearly 30 per cent of the world’s critical mineral reserves, including cobalt, lithium, manganese, copper, nickel and graphite. However, she noted that the continent accounted for only three per cent of global exports, despite its vast resource potential.


She said Africa needed to strengthen its productive capacity and add value to its natural resources, stating, “Africa must move beyond exporting raw materials to processing and manufacturing products locally to retain more economic value.” 


Ms Okonjo-Iweala described the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a geoeconomic instrument to expand production and create regional value chains. She said intra-African exports accounted for about 17 per cent of the continent’s merchandise exports in 2024, indicating significant room for expansion.


The WTO chief identified infrastructure gaps, institutional weaknesses and non-tariff barriers as major obstacles to implementing the continental trade agreement.


Ms Okonjo-Iweala called for improved roads, ports, electricity, shipping connections and trade finance to facilitate regional commerce. She also advocated efficient customs procedures and predictable regulations to promote cross-border trade.


Ms Okonjo-Iweala urged African universities and WTO chairs to strengthen research, training and policy engagement. She said intellectual capacity was essential to building the continent’s economic influence.


The vice-chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Bond Anyaehie, called for stronger African economic integration to promote industrialisation and global competitiveness.


Mr Anyaehie said Africa must move beyond trade integration to building collective economic power through infrastructure development, industrialisation and competitive local enterprises. He said trade liberalisation without adequate infrastructure and a continental market without competitive African businesses could not deliver meaningful economic transformation.


“The success of AfCFTA should be measured by Africa’s ability to source inputs, manufacture products, provide services and finance trade through indigenous institutions,” he said.


Mr Anyaehie lamented that some African-made products were exported, rebranded abroad and returned to the continent as foreign goods. He cited Nigerian shoes produced in Aba and sold in Italy as an example, urging entrepreneurs to strengthen branding.


Mr Anyaehie also encouraged African businesses to use digital platforms to expand their market reach, adding that universities must contribute actively to Africa’s trade transformation through research, skills development and policy engagement.


He also advocated stronger partnerships between universities, governments and industries. 

(NAN)