Architecting Africa’s Trade Renaissance

For decades, Africa traded in promises while others traded in its resources. Now, with Cape Town as its drafting table, Access Bank is assembling the architects who will redraw the blueprint of global commerce, with African hands holding the pen, writes Festus Akanbi

For a long time, Nigeria and Africa have occupied the margins of global trade. The continent has supplied raw materials to the world but has played only a limited role in deciding how global trade is structured, financed, and governed.

Africa trades more with the rest of the world than with itself, and Nigeria, despite being Africa’s largest economy, has struggled to convert its size into real trade influence.

Today, that story is slowly changing. At the centre of this shift is Access Bank, which says Africa must stop watching global trade from the sidelines and start shaping it. The bank’s Africa Trade Conference (ATC) 2026, scheduled for March 11 in Cape Town, is designed to help make that change real.

When Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, said that “Africa will not be a spectator in the remaking of global trade,” he was making a clear statement of intent. 

This is not just about hosting another conference. It is about repositioning Africa, and Nigeria in particular, as active players in global commerce. The 2026 conference, themed ‘Turning Vision into Velocity: Building Africa’s Trade Ecosystem for Real-World Impact,’ comes at a moment when Africa’s biggest trade project, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), is moving from paper to practice.

Tackling Obstacles to African Trade

The importance of ATC 2026 lies in its focus on real problems that limit African trade. At the first conference, leaders from 28 countries came together, not for speeches alone, but to address the hard issues holding African businesses back.

According to Seyi Kumapayi, Executive Director for African Subsidiaries at Access Bank, three major barriers continue to slow African trade: limited access to affordable finance, lack of reliable information, and weak trust between trading partners. These challenges help explain why trade between African countries remains stuck at about 16 per cent of total trade, far below Europe’s 60 per cent and Asia’s 40 per cent.

 Changing Dynamics

Globally, trade is changing. Supply chains are being restructured as countries look for trusted partners and alternative production hubs. Africa, with a population of about 1.3 billion, a combined GDP of roughly $3 trillion, and vast natural resources, presents significant opportunities. Yet this opportunity will remain unrealised without strong financial systems, efficient infrastructure, clear rules, and modern technology. Access Bank understands this. That is why it describes ATC 2026 not as a banking event, but as a meeting point for policy, finance, technology, and business.

For Nigeria, the benefits of this strategy are significant. As Access Bank expands across 24 countries, including 16 in Africa, it is building a network that makes cross-border trade easier and cheaper for Nigerian businesses. Payments become smoother, risks are better managed, and trade documentation is easier to handle. The bank has already mobilised about $2 billion from development finance institutions for long-term lending across Africa. If well deployed, this funding can help close Africa’s estimated $81 billion annual trade finance gap.

For Nigerian manufacturers, farmers, and exporters, this means more than numbers. It means access to working capital, supply chain finance, and trade guarantees that enable them to compete beyond Nigeria’s borders. It also means support in meeting international standards, one of the biggest obstacles facing Nigeria’s non-oil exports. Through ATC 2026, exporters can engage directly with regulators, certification agencies, logistics firms, and buyers from other markets. This kind of direct interaction helps remove barriers that paperwork alone cannot fix.

Creating Space for Innovation

The conference also creates space for innovation. As planned, Nigerian fintech firms, agritech startups, and logistics solutions will be showcased to investors and partners. This is important because technology is becoming central to modern trade. Manual processes, fragmented payment platforms, and poor access to information have long slowed Africa’s trade systems. ATC 2026 will focus on how digital tools, from faster payment systems to smarter credit assessments, can reduce costs and speed up transactions. Studies suggest that digital trade solutions could reduce trade costs by up to 15 per cent, a significant gain for small and medium-sized businesses.

Other African economies also stand to benefit. Access Bank’s recent expansions and acquisitions have strengthened its presence in Southern, Eastern, and Central Africa. Hosting the conference in Cape Town for the second time highlights South Africa’s role as a key gateway economy. It also opens the door to regional trade models where Nigerian capital, South African infrastructure, and regional supply chains work together. Countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo could benefit from these linked value chains, particularly in agriculture, energy, and mining.

AfCFTA is central to this vision. While most African countries have signed and ratified the agreement, implementation remains uneven. Rules of origin, tariff schedules, and the removal of non-tariff barriers are progressing slowly. ATC 2026 offers an informal but powerful platform for policymakers and regulators to engage directly with businesses and financiers. These conversations often achieve more than formal negotiations because they focus on practical solutions. By providing the financial and operational tools needed for cross-border trade, Access Bank helps turn political agreements into real economic activity.

Another key focus of the conference is inclusion. Across Africa, women and young people own a large share of small businesses, yet they are often excluded from trade finance. SMEs account for over 80 percent of employment across the continent but receive only a small share of available trade finance. ATC 2026 will explore new financing models, such as supply chain finance and receivables discounting, to expand access to capital. This is not just a social goal; it is an economic necessity if Africa wants to scale up intra-continental trade.

The conference also takes place against growing global competition for African markets. Major powers are expanding their trade and investment initiatives across the continent. While these partnerships bring opportunities, they also carry risks. An African-led platform like ATC 2026 helps ensure that external engagements align with Africa’s own development priorities. It reinforces the idea that Africa should trade with the world on its own terms, adding value locally rather than exporting raw materials alone.

Emphasis on Action

Importantly, ATC 2026 emphasizes action. The theme’s focus on “real-world impact” reflects a desire to move beyond declarations to execution. Trade is built on relationships, trust, and continuity. By combining business discussions with cultural and networking activities, the conference recognises that deals are often sealed through sustained engagement rather than one-off meetings.

With platforms like ATC 2026, Africa is no longer just a source of commodities. It is beginning to shape the rules, systems, and relationships that define global trade.