APD26: Dr. Amany Asfour calls for concrete action to empower African women under AfCFTA

President of the Africa Business Council, Dr. Amany Asfour, has called for deliberate and practical measures to ensure that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade moves beyond policy and delivers measurable economic impact for women across the continent.

Dr. Asfour made the call while speaking at the 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) during a panel discussion on “Building an Inclusive AfCFTA” held on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

She stressed the need for a holistic approach to women’s economic empowerment, which she described as the “triad of empowerment,” made up of personal empowerment programmes, policy advocacy, and product development.

“Personal empowerment programs are essential for women-led SMEs across all levels,” Dr. Asfour said, highlighting the importance of training, financial inclusion, knowledge-sharing, and capacity building.

On policy advocacy, she urged African governments to adopt deliberate measures that support women-led enterprises, including reserving a percentage of public procurement for women-owned businesses.

She cited Kenya as a successful example, noting that 30 per cent of government procurement in the country is allocated to SMEs, women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

Dr. Asfour further emphasized the need to create an enabling environment that allows informal businesses to transition into the formal sector.

“How can women move from informal to formal without incentives, financial literacy, and good bookkeeping? The entire ecosystem must be supportive,” she said.

She explained that the third pillar, product development, focuses on adding value to Africa’s abundant natural resources rather than exporting raw materials.

Dr. Asfour pointed to missed opportunities in sectors such as mining, agriculture, and fashion, citing the export of raw shea butter valued at about US$90 million, compared to the global cosmetics industry that generates over US$500 billion from shea-based products.

Highlighting the role of information and market awareness, Dr. Asfour shared an example from Zambia, where women mining rose quartz were selling rocks they considered “waste” for about US$1.50 per bucket, unaware that processed, high-grade quartz could fetch more than US$8,000 per bucket.

“Knowledge and information are critical,” she noted.

Dr. Asfour concluded by calling on policymakers, financial institutions, and development partners to work collaboratively to ensure that women and youth not only participate in AfCFTA but benefit fully from its economic potential.

“We have good policies, but we must focus on empowerment, policy, and product development to make the protocol operational and transformative,” she said.

By: Bawa Musah

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