Keypoints:
- Afreximbank says digital infrastructure underpins Africa’s trade ambitions
- Shared systems seen as critical to making AfCFTA operational
- Payments, data and digital identity central to continental integration
AFREXIMBANK has warned that Africa’s trade integration risks stalling unless the continent rapidly builds shared digital infrastructure capable of supporting cross-border payments, data exchange and business connectivity, positioning technology as the missing link in translating the African Continental Free Trade Area from treaty into functioning market.
At the Africa Collective Davos 2026, held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Afreximbank placed digital infrastructure at the centre of Africa’s economic integration agenda.
The message emerged during a session on The Digital Economy on the African Continent, which examined how technology can unlock trade flows, reduce transaction friction and enable businesses to operate seamlessly across borders.
The discussion brought together Ekene Uzor, Director of the Group Management Office at Afreximbank; Mounir Nakhla, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Egyptian fintech group MNT-Halan; and Kseniia Fontaine, Senior Business Development and Operations Manager at the International Telecommunication Union’s AI for Good initiative. CNBC Africa’s Palesa Mofokeng moderated the session.
Digital economy as trade infrastructure
Uzor framed the digital economy as the foundation upon which modern trade systems function, arguing that Africa’s integration challenge extends beyond tariffs and trade protocols.
He emphasised that the continent requires interoperable digital ‘rails’ linking trust frameworks, payment systems, data flows and connectivity in order for AfCFTA to generate tangible economic outcomes.
Without such infrastructure, Afreximbank cautioned, Africa’s single market ambitions risk remaining largely theoretical, constrained by fragmented financial systems and inconsistent cross-border processes.
Turning AfCFTA into economic reality
The AfCFTA seeks to create a unified African market spanning more than 1.4 billion people, but implementation has been slowed by currency conversion costs, limited access to trade finance and weak digital interoperability.
Afreximbank’s intervention focuses on closing these gaps through continent-wide platforms that allow businesses to transact efficiently regardless of national borders.
The bank views shared digital systems as essential to scaling intra-African trade, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises that often face the highest barriers when operating regionally.
PAPSS and payment interoperability
Central to this strategy is the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, known as PAPSS.
The platform enables real-time cross-border payments in local currencies, reducing reliance on correspondent banking networks and minimising exposure to external currency volatility.
Afreximbank positions PAPSS as a cornerstone of Africa’s emerging digital trade architecture, supporting faster settlement, lower transaction costs and greater monetary sovereignty across AfCFTA markets.
Beyond payments, the bank is expanding digital infrastructure to support trade documentation, due diligence, market intelligence and business-to-business matchmaking across the continent.
Emerging technologies and data sovereignty
The Davos session also explored how emerging technologies could reinforce Africa’s trade ecosystem.
Afreximbank highlighted ongoing investments in artificial intelligence, digital identity frameworks and advanced data systems designed to improve compliance, transparency and risk assessment.
These initiatives are supported through innovation laboratories and policy-aligned experimentation, enabling new digital tools to be tested while remaining consistent with regulatory requirements.
Private-sector perspectives shared during the session pointed to fintech innovation as a critical bridge between informal markets and formal trade networks, while development stakeholders underscored the importance of inclusive digital access.
Africa’s position in a shifting global economy
The discussions took place as African economies face growing pressure from global fragmentation, supply-chain realignment and tightening international financial conditions.
Participants agreed that strengthening intra-African trade through shared digital systems could enhance resilience while positioning the continent more competitively in the global economy.
Afreximbank said its digital trade agenda is aimed at supporting scale, sovereignty and inclusive growth, ensuring that Africa’s integration efforts are anchored in operational infrastructure rather than policy ambition alone.
As the continent accelerates implementation of AfCFTA, the Davos dialogue reinforced a central conclusion: Africa’s trade future will be shaped not only by agreements signed, but by the digital systems built to make them work.
