Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration at the Ghanaian Presidential Office, recently emphasized the need for robust implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocols to empower women engaged in informal cross-border trade. Her remarks came during a panel discussion titled ‘From Boardrooms to Borders: Women Driving the AfCFTA Agenda,’ held on February 4, 2026, at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The event gathered a variety of women leaders from both the public and private sectors to focus on improving the execution of the AfCFTA agreement. The discussion spotlighted the critical role women play in steering Africa’s economic trajectory through innovation and collaboration while also examining methods to unlock funding for women-led businesses.
Nana Oye highlighted that women represent approximately 70 percent of informal cross-border trade throughout Africa, underscoring their vital contribution to the continent’s trade and economic integration efforts. She shared a personal anecdote from a visit to The Gambia, where she observed local fish being prepared for transport back to Ghana. This experience raised questions about how the AfCFTA could enhance such trading practices and facilitate smoother cross-border transactions.
Concerns were also raised regarding ongoing trade barriers that hinder the movement of goods, even between neighboring countries like Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Nana Oye insisted that these challenges necessitate a collaborative approach among governments, particularly trade ministries, to fulfill AfCFTA’s goals effectively.
She characterized AfCFTA not merely as a trade framework but as a transformative tool that could significantly improve lives and expand opportunities for African women. To realize this potential, she called for streamlined border procedures, modernized customs systems, and enhanced access to financial resources for women traders.
In support of these initiatives, she pointed to Ghana’s proposed Women’s Development Bank, which has been allocated budgetary resources and is backed by high-level government support aimed at fostering economic empowerment for women.
Nana Oye concluded with a cautionary note, urging that without intentional actions, the continent risks stagnating in discussions without tangible progress. ‘If we do not act purposefully, we will find ourselves in the same discussions a year from now,’ she warned.
