President Mahama Opens Africa Trade Summit, Calls for Industrial Value Chains Across Borders

President John Dramani Mahama has called on African countries to build industrial value chains across borders where raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished products move freely within regions.

In his address at the opening of the Africa Trade Summit 2026 on Wednesday, the President said no African country can industrialize alone, and the continent’s future depends on regional cooperation.

“Not every country can produce everything, but together we can build competitive industries across our borders, where raw materials, intermediate goods and final products, and finished products move seamlessly within our regions. This is how other areas have industrialised,” President Mahama stated.

He said Africa must invest in transport corridors, energy grids, and digital infrastructure while harmonizing standards and regulations to support industrial integration.

The President said industrial integration requires market integration, describing the African Continental Free Trade Area as the most ambitious integration project in the continent’s history.

“By creating a single market of over 1.3 billion people, the African Continental Free Trade Area provides a scale African industry has long lacked. It transforms Africa into a viable manufacturing and investment destination,” he explained.

President Mahama said Ghana is proud to host the AfCFTA Secretariat and to be among the early adopters of trading under its preferences.

However, he warned that the AfCFTA alone will not automatically industrialize Africa, saying it must be deliberately used through infrastructure investment, enterprise development, and removing barriers to trade.

“The African Continental Free Trade Area will not automatically industrialise Africa. It must be deliberately harnessed through infrastructure investment, enterprise development, reducing non-tariff barriers, simplifying customs procedures, improving logistics and investing in industrial infrastructure,” the President stated.

He said reducing non-tariff barriers, simplifying customs procedures, improving logistics, and investing in infrastructure are essential if the AfCFTA is to deliver on its promise.

President Mahama said Ghana’s experience shows that industrialization works when policies are delivered, infrastructure is reliable, skills are developed, and markets remain stable.

He added that investments in transport, energy, and technical education are foundational to industrial success, along with good governance where investor confidence thrives, institutions are strong, and policies are protected.

The President said Africa’s industrial transformation cannot be achieved by governments alone, noting that while governments must provide leadership and stability, the private sector must invest and innovate, financial institutions must design long-term financing solutions, development partners must align with Africa’s priorities, and pan-African institutions must coordinate and remove barriers to integration.

President Mahama called on summit participants to envision an Africa with thriving industrial corridors, integrated supply chains, and competitive factories producing for African and global markets where prosperity is shared and opportunity is created at home.

“This vision is bold but achievable. What is required now is resilience and resolve. We must move from declarations to delivery, from agreements to implementation, and from competition to construction,” he stated.

The President said the summit should be remembered as a moment when commitments were matched with action and partnerships were forged to power Africa’s industrial future.

With those words, President Mahama declared the Africa Trade Summit 2026 officially open.

The summit is being held under the theme “Financing Africa’s Industrialization, Development, Industrial Value Chains, Beneficiation and Market Integration

Richard Aniagyei, ISD