The Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, has affirmed the continental body’s commitment to working closely with key stakeholders to drive the digital transformation of Africa’s economy.
Delivering remarks at the 3i Africa Summit 2026 on Wednesday, May 6, Mr. Mene stated that Africa stands at a critical juncture where digitalisation must move from policy discussions to real, measurable outcomes.
He stressed that while conversations around digital trade and financial integration have gained momentum in recent years, the continent must now focus on implementation and results.
According to Wamkele Mene, the success of Africa’s digital agenda will depend largely on the collective efforts of governments, financial institutions, regional bodies, and private sector players.
He pointed out that future progress should be evaluated based on concrete achievements rather than repeated commitments.
“By the next edition of the 3i Africa Summit, the measure of progress should be, not additional declarations but tangible outcomes that demonstrate functioning cross-boarder payment systems for example, measurable reductions in transaction costs, increased SMEs participation in digital trade, and customs systems that are digitised.
“All of these efforts will require collaborations between central banks, the AfCFTA Secretariat and the African Union. We stand ready as the AfCFTA to partner with all the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the ambitious objective of digitising Africa’s economy is within reach.”
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