Ghanaian business leader Sir Sam Jonah has warned that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) faces “grave danger” of failure. He stated this ambitious economic integration project is threatened by protectionist policies, xenophobia, and the mistreatment of African investors and workers across the continent.
Sir Sam Jonah delivered this critical assessment at the Global Business Forum – Ghana Edition on Friday, August 28. He stressed that African countries must demonstrate stronger commitment to implementing the agreement. The continent’s most significant economic integration effort since independence is at risk from internal actions, not external forces.
This warning comes as Ghana, the host nation for the AfCFTA Secretariat, aims to champion intra-African trade. The AfCFTA seeks to create a single market for goods and services across 54 African Union member states. Its success is crucial for boosting economic growth and reducing poverty across the continent, potentially unifying a market of 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of GHS 30 trillion.
“If it dies, it will die by our own hand — border by border, permit by permit, prejudice by prejudice,” Sir Sam Jonah declared. He highlighted that sentiment alone will not drive trade, urging a focus on practical implementation. He also noted that nobody will buy African products out of a sense of duty.
Sir Sam Jonah cited recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa as particularly damaging to the vision of a unified African market. He described these incidents as “a dagger aimed at the heart of continental integration.” Such attacks could trigger retaliatory actions in other African countries, further fragmenting the continent.
He also shared his personal experience as an African investor, revealing that a significant real estate investment in Nigeria faced “sustained harassment by state agencies.” Ghanaian workers on his Nigerian site endured treatment similar to the scenes deplored in South Africa. This experience raises serious questions about the viability of cross-border African investments.
Sir Sam Jonah questioned the prospects for younger African entrepreneurs lacking his resources and networks if established investors face such challenges. He warned that continued harassment of African businesses within the continent could drive capital away. African capital might flee to financial hubs like London and Dubai if it is not secure at home.
He urged African governments to prioritize implementing existing AfCFTA commitments rather than creating new protocols. The success of the agreement depends on creating conditions that make intra-African trade easier, faster, and more competitive. “Implementation is the new innovation,” he told forum participants.
African economies must improve their competitiveness and remove unnecessary barriers to cross-border operations. Making it cheaper and faster for a Ghanaian firm to sell in Lagos, Abidjan, or Nairobi than in Rotterdam is essential. The AfCFTA’s sustainability relies on countries honoring commitments, producing desirable goods, and protecting African investors and workers.
The implications are significant for Ghana’s role as the AfCFTA host and for the broader African economic agenda. Decision-makers must address these internal barriers to foster genuine economic integration. Failure to act could undermine the continent’s most ambitious trade initiative, impacting millions of livelihoods and future prosperity.