AfCFTA for African Manufacturers: Exporting Within Africa (2026)

If you make goods in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya or Egypt and want to sell in other African countries, AfCFTA for African manufacturers is the agreement to understand. The African Continental Free Trade Area is meant to make it easier to trade across the continent. But it only helps if your product qualifies and your paperwork is right. This guide explains what the AfCFTA Secretariat says, how rules of origin work in outline, what the Guided Trade Initiative was, and what to do before your first shipment. It is based on the Secretariat's pages read in October 2026; it is not legal or customs advice, and customs authorities have the final word.

What the AfCFTA is, according to the Secretariat

The AfCFTA Secretariat's about page says the agreement entered into force on 30 May 2019 and that trading under it began on 1 January 2021. It covers the 55 African Union countries and eight regional economic communities, and lists objectives such as removing trade barriers, growing value-added production and building regional value chains. Our own article on AfCFTA for food manufacturers applies this to food.

Important: only some countries and products trade on preferences yet

The Secretariat's page on the e-Tariff Book says it exists mainly to make tariff concession schedules accessible to trade and customs authorities. It also says only State Parties have rights and obligations under the agreement, and that concessions offered by customs unions must be nationalised once agreed before traders can use them. We do not quote any tariff rate here. Look up your product's schedule in the e-Tariff Book and ask your customs authority or clearing agent what applies today.

Rules of origin: does your product qualify?

A product gets AfCFTA preferences only if it originates in a State Party. The agreement's Annex 2 on Rules of Origin (updated January 2024; see the Secretariat's PDF) sets out the basics. Check for a later version before you rely on it.

• Wholly obtained. Goods such as crops grown locally, livestock born and raised locally, and minerals extracted locally qualify.
• Substantial transformation. Goods made with imported materials can qualify if they meet one of five tests: value added, non-originating material content, change in tariff heading, change in tariff sub-heading or specific processes. Product-specific rules sit in an appendix, so find the rule for your product's HS code.
• Insufficient operations. Simple operations such as packaging, washing, painting and simple assembly do not confer origin.
• Cumulation. Materials from another State Party can count toward origin, so a Ghanaian factory using Nigerian inputs may count them. Certificates carry an endorsement for cumulation.
• Direct transport. Preferences apply to goods transported directly between State Parties, or through them with only limited handling such as unloading or reloading.

Annex 2 also notes a tolerance for some non-originating materials of up to 15% of the ex-works price within the product-specific limits, and it excludes some chapters. Because the details are product-specific, ask your customs authority or a customs professional to confirm your rule. The Secretariat also publishes a Rules of Origin Manual as a guide to Annex 2.

Proof of origin

Under Annex 2, a certificate of origin is issued by the designated authority on the exporter's written application and is valid for 12 months from issue. It should be available before export. An exporter may also make an origin declaration on an invoice; approved exporters may use it for any value, and any exporter may use it for consignments up to USD 5,000. Exporters must keep application records for at least five years. Ask your national authority which route applies and how to apply.

The Guided Trade Initiative

The Secretariat explained that the Guided Trade Initiative was launched in October 2022 with eight State Parties: Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania and Tunisia. Its aim was commercially meaningful trade under the AfCFTA by matching businesses and products for export and import, and it listed products such as ceramic tiles, batteries, tea, coffee, processed meat, corn starch, sugar, pasta, glucose syrup, dried fruits and sisal fibre. We did not find a current Secretariat page listing today's participants, so treat the initiative as background and ask your national AfCFTA implementation committee what support exists now.

A first-export checklist

1. Confirm your registrations and product approvals at home, for example NAFDAC or SON in Nigeria. See starting a manufacturing business in Nigeria.
2. Classify your product with its HS code and find the origin rule for it.
3. Check the importing country's rules: product standards, labelling, language and permits. See labelling and packaging language in African markets.
4. Check duties and the preference with the destination customs authority. Our guide to ECOWAS and EAC import duties explains the regional blocs.
5. Apply for proof of origin with your national authority.
6. Agree terms with the buyer. See FOB, CIF and DDP.
7. Arrange freight and clearance. On Comilmart, suppliers arrange and pay for shipping and delivery of B2B orders; we do not handle freight, customs clearance or duties.

For wider planning, read which African market to enter first and currency risk in pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay zero duty under the AfCFTA? Not automatically. Preferences depend on the schedule between the two countries and on your goods meeting the rules of origin. Check with customs.

Is the AfCFTA the same as ECOWAS or EAC? No. They are regional blocs; the AfCFTA is continental. Rules can differ.

Do I need a certificate of origin? Annex 2 describes certificates and origin declarations as proof. Ask your national authority which applies.

Are packaging and simple assembly enough to qualify? No. Annex 2 lists them as insufficient operations.

Where do I look up tariffs? The Secretariat's e-Tariff Book, plus the destination customs authority.

Next step

Buyers in other African countries search for suppliers by category and MOQ. Apply at /apply-manufacturer to show your products to them. It is free; the form asks for your company registration number, tax number, business licence and registration certificate, at least two sample product images and your company profile. Review is stated as about 24 to 48 hours. We cannot promise orders. Get your origin rules right and AfCFTA for African manufacturers becomes a practical route to new markets.