President John Mahama has called on African nations to collaborate and harmonise trade activities as a strategy to protect the continent from external pressures imposed through tariffs.
Speaking at the 2025 African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meeting in Ivory Coast, President Mahama emphasised the need for African countries to improve revenue collection systems to support infrastructure development, facilitating the smooth movement of goods and people across borders.
He urged African leaders to view the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as a key catalyst for boosting intra-African trade. President Mahama highlighted that the continent’s lack of integration and harmonisation has left many countries vulnerable to tariff impositions by external nations and unions acting in their own interests.
“Unfortunately, the system is being appended and countries have decided to impose tariffs based on their own interest. It sends a signal to Africa that there is no free lunch anywhere,” he stated.
President Mahama proposed practical solutions, stressing the need to mobilise resources locally to develop critical infrastructure. “We must mobilise revenue locally. We must add value to our products and secure a better share for the natural resource endowment that God has given us,” he said.
He encouraged African nations to trade more among themselves, noting that the AfCFTA, ratified by the majority of African countries, provides an opportunity to strengthen intra-continental commerce.
President Mahama also praised the AfDB’s investments in trade infrastructure across Africa, citing the funding provided for road construction and port expansions as vital to facilitating trade.
“It is not enough to have a trade protocol. Without railways, highways, and aviation links to exchange goods, the system comes to a knot. We must take advantage of that. In Ghana, for example, we have expanded our ports, making them hubs capable of receiving some of the biggest ships,” he said.
He noted that the expansion of Tema Port has enabled it to accommodate larger vessels from across the continent, improving trade routes to landlocked countries and boosting regional commerce.
Source :Lawrence Segbefia
