12/12/24
Within the framework of the technical assistance provided by the European EU TAF project in support of the AfCFTA, a workshop was held in Nairobi to focus on the empowerment of African women in cross-border trade.
“We get up first and go to bed last,” says Nancy G. Tonga, chairperson of the East African Women Entrepreneurs’ Platform (EAWiBP). Her statement reflects the reality of African women entrepreneurs, who balance unpaid care work with running their businesses. This key challenge has been highlighted during the recent validation workshop of the Study on Integrating Trade in Services into the Simplified Trade Regime of COMESA, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Both the study and the workshop are part of the technical support that FIIAPP is providing to COMESA as part of the EU TAF program in support of AfCFTA.
Nancy G. Tonga, together with Janice Benson Kimaro, executive director of EAWiBP, have stressed the need to empower women in cross-border trade and ensure that their voices are at the center of policy formulation such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Women entrepreneurs face systemic challenges, such as lack of access to finance. “If I go to the bank today, they will ask me for a land title, land that I don’t have,” explains Tonga, noting that ancestral land ownership in Africa often excludes women.
Benson highlights financial and digital skills gaps: “How many women know how to prepare accounting statements or present business plans to banks? Very few.” In addition, a lack of expertise in branding, marketing and complex bidding processes further restricts opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Despite these obstacles, women-led cooperatives (SACCOs) have become a game changer. “Women are holding each other accountable, saving and lending more effectively,” says Tonga, noting that these initiatives are receiving support from governments and banks.
Digital literacy is another critical area. “Everything is going digital,” Benson emphasizes. “But how many women can access markets using digital platforms? We need to empower them and change their mindset.”
For policies like the AfCFTA to be inclusive, women’s unique challenges must be addressed. “We need baseline studies to understand the changing needs of women entrepreneurs,” said Benson. Partnerships are needed to scale up local initiatives and replicate success stories throughout the region.
If Africa is to reach its commercial potential, women must be at the forefront of economic policies. Addressing barriers such as access to finance, digital skills and mentorship is key to unlocking their full potential.
Empowering women in trade is not only a priority, but a necessity for inclusive and sustainable growth across the continent.
FIIAPP is one of the implementing agencies of the EU TAF program, which aims to provide technical assistance to various African institutional actors on their way to consolidating intra-African trade under the AfCFTA framework. With a strong and unwavering commitment to gender equality, FIIAPP stands out in the program by mainstreaming a gender perspective in all its activities. Its approach actively promotes the participation of women’s voices and ensures that actions undertaken in relation to the promotion of intra-African trade consider and value their impact on the lives and realities of women, thus strengthening a more equitable and inclusive development.
