Against all odds, African countries have managed to pull off the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in record time. The historical magnitude of this achievement cannot be overstated: 54 African Union States have created the world’s largest free trade area and successfully entered it into force in roughly one year – a far shorter time than it took other regions with fewer nations and smaller free trade areas. To put it in perspective, it took the three-nation NAFTA approximately three years to journey from signing, ratification to entering into effect. But as we celebrate the dawn of a new era, there is the big question: will Africa implement the AfCFTA as swiftly as it created it?
To ascertain the commitment and readiness of various countries towards AfCFTA implementation, the AfroChampions Initiative has produced this AfCFTA Year Zero Report that ranks African countries by their level of AfCFTA commitment and implementation readiness.
