[New Video & Audio Podcast] Unlocking Africa’s Digital Trade Potential: Highlights From TradeMark Africa’s Africa Trade Development Forum (ATDF) 2024 Discussion Panel In Kigali, Rwanda.
Watch The Podcast Here:
Listen To The Podcast Here:
On December 2, 2024, I had the privilege of representing Dotsavvy on a panel discussion titled “I Like My Coffee Black: Trade Today and Trade Tomorrow — The Realities” during the Africa Trade Development Forum (ATDF) in Kigali, Rwanda. This landmark event, jointly organized by TradeMark Africa and Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, convened thought leaders, innovators, and policymakers to address the challenges and opportunities of digital trade in Africa.
Moderated by the insightful Allen S. Asiimwe, Deputy CEO of TradeMark Africa, the panel featured:
Antoine Sebera, Government Chief Information Officer, Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA)
Bernice Omiunu, Founder, Women in Blockchain Africa
Gabriel Negatu, Board Member, Atlantic Council and TradeMark Africa
The discussion tackled topics like bridging policy gaps, fostering trust in e-commerce, and financing digital infrastructure, offering actionable ideas to unlock Africa’s trade potential.
Discussion Highlights:
Framing of the Issues
Allen S. Asiimwe, as the session’s moderator, set the tone for the discussion by emphasizing the unrealized potential of Africa’s trade volumes despite frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She highlighted three key pillars of digital trade — digitization, automation, and e-commerce — and pointed to the need for collective action to overcome challenges.
Allen used the analogy of “eating an elephant,” encouraging a step-by-step approach to address Africa’s trade hurdles. She emphasized the need for disruptive thinking, innovation, and the collaboration of governments, private sector players, and NGOs to drive impactful change. Her ability to frame the discussion around tangible metrics and practical solutions ensured a focused and results-driven dialogue.
Bridging the Gap Between Policy & Practice
I opened this segment by highlighting the difficulty of trading within Africa compared to international trade. While digital trade frameworks like AfCFTA are ambitious, their implementation is often hindered by fragmented policies and insufficient infrastructure.
Antoine Sebera provided insights into Rwanda’s progress with the Rwanda Electronic Single Window, a platform that has simplified cross-border trade by digitizing processes and reducing inefficiencies. He stressed the importance of such initiatives in translating policy into actionable outcomes and emphasized the need for greater investment in foundational digital infrastructure, such as data centers and undersea cables.
Allen steered the discussion toward the role of advocacy and education in implementing policies, highlighting how a lack of awareness among businesses often limits their ability to leverage digital tools. The panel agreed that creating regulatory sandboxes — controlled environments for testing policies and innovations — can bridge the gap between policy and practice.
Building Trust in E-Commerce
Consumer trust remains a critical challenge for cross-border e-commerce in Africa. I emphasized the role of secure payment systems, transparency in logistics, and clear regulatory frameworks in addressing concerns about fraud and product quality.
Bernice Omiunu, representing Women in Blockchain Africa, shared how blockchain technology offers unparalleled transparency and immutability in supply chains, enabling consumers to verify product authenticity and origin. She stressed the importance of building awareness around blockchain’s potential, particularly for marginalized groups like women entrepreneurs.
Gabriel Negatu brought a broader perspective, discussing how digital IDs and interoperable payment platforms can enhance trust and drive adoption. Allen emphasized the necessity of harmonized regional regulations to foster trust and ensure seamless transactions across borders.
Financing & Scaling Digital Innovations
Financing emerged as a major theme in the discussion. Gabriel Negatu pointed to the shift from traditional hard infrastructure to digital infrastructure, stressing the need for innovative financing models such as public-private partnerships (PPPs). He highlighted the US$200 million required to implement scanners at borders as an example of the scale of investment needed.
Drawing from my various professional experiences, I spoke about the importance of local context and interoperability in scaling digital marketplaces and platforms. Understanding market nuances and designing adaptable solutions are critical for success across diverse African markets.
Allen guided the discussion to focus on how regional bodies like the East African Community (EAC) can play a role in harmonizing regulatory environments to attract investment and create an enabling ecosystem for scaling digital trade innovations.
Conclusion & Takeaways
This panel discussion provided a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and opportunities in Africa’s digital trade landscape. The collaborative nature of the conversation emphasized the importance of cross-sector partnerships in driving meaningful progress.
Key takeaways from the session include:
From the Moderator: Allen Asiimwe emphasized the importance of a collective, step-by-step approach to addressing Africa’s trade challenges, driven by innovation, advocacy, and collaboration.
From Antoine Sebera: Highlighted Rwanda’s digitization efforts and the need for investment in critical digital infrastructure.
From Bernice Omiunu: Showcased blockchain’s potential for transparency and trust, especially for empowering marginalized communities.
From Gabriel Negatu: Advocated for innovative financing and Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs) to fund large-scale digital trade projects.
I found the session both inspiring and thought-provoking. Platforms like the Africa Trade Development Forum are vital for transforming ideas into actionable strategies that unlock the continent’s trade potential.
