The preponderance and heterogeneous trade policy measures and quality infrastructure deficiency impact agri-food trade inclusiveness in the ECOWAS. Moreover, the inappropriate activities of some border institutions such as harassment (especially for women), graft and different charges made trading along illegal trade corridors inevitable which thereby enhances the nefarious rent-seeking activities. Furthermore, the knowledge frontier in this area is extended with the exploration and exposition of the issue of trade-related quality infrastructure. Hence, this study determines the consequences of the trade policy measures and quality infrastructure on intra-regional agri-food trade inclusiveness in the ECOWAS with a consideration of the impact on women. A mixed-method approach is adopted based on a novel primary dataset collected at different border posts, border markets and trade corridors in the ECOWAS. Evidence indicates that the intra-ECOWAS trade is low, calculated at 7% while the intra-ECOWAS agri-food trade was 9% in 2022. Further findings suggest that heterogeneous trade policy measures and deficient quality infrastructural adversely affect intra-regional agri-food trade inclusiveness. Apart from the applied 24 harmonised intra-ECOWAS agri-food trade policy measures, there are 35 additional applied heterogeneous measures across the Member states. Overall, this increases trade costs and food prices, thereby reducing competitiveness, especially for women.
This article uses the structured gravity model to examine the potential effects of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on trade within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region. The results show that liberalising trade through the AfCFTA has the potential effect of increasing intra-COMESA trade 1.96 times. Trade diversion is bound to occur with extra-COMESA imports expected to increase by 1.32 times. However, the formation of the AfCFTA is important for COMESA as it leads to an overall improvement in intra-COMESA trade by 88.89%. Furthermore, the results show pure trade creation effects, in terms of exports, suggesting an increase in the welfare of non-COMESA members. The article significantly contributes to the growing body of research on the ongoing deliberations on trade integration and regionalism. It further provides an exciting opportunity to advance extant knowledge by amalgamating trade indicators and model-based analysis to understand the implications of the establishment of the AfCFTA for African countries
This study analyzes the potential effects of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on fiscal stability, using panel data from 54 African economies that have ratified the AfCFTA from 2010 to 2021. The study uses a dynamic system GMM model to address endogeneity, simultaneity, measurement bias, and reverse causality issues. The findings indicate that the AfCFTA agreement may reduce government revenue and spending. Furthermore, the study found that the AfCFTA could lead to an increase in government debt
This study examines the impact of trade openness in goods and services on economic growth across Africa, utilizing panel data for all 54 countries from 1980 to 2022. The analysis, conducted at both continental and regional economic community levels, finds that trade openness generally exerts a positive effect on economic performance. However, a significant regional heterogeneity emerges. Notably, a decoupling is observed between goods trade expansion and strong GDP growth in Central and East Africa, a weaker relationship in Northern and Southern Africa, and a similarly decoupled pattern for services trade and GDP growth in most regions, except for a positive correlation in North Africa. Furthermore, the results indicate a substitution effect between goods and services trade, with goods trade contributing more substantially to GDP growth. While services trade's contribution is stable, goods trade contribution varies significantly, influenced by multilateral and regional liberalization processes. A key regional divergence is confirmed: goods and services trade act as substitutes in Central Africa but as complements in North Africa. The policy implications emphasize prioritizing services trade facilitation. Aligning with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Protocol on Trade in Services, this entails reducing barriers, undertaking structural reforms, and investing in critical infrastructure to improve service delivery conditions and attract investment, thereby expanding Africa's total services trade.
This paper explores how AfCFTA tariff reductions affect CO₂ emissions. Using sector-level data, we find that more protected sectors are also more carbon intensive, so liberalization risks favoring “dirtier” activities. However, for EAC and ECOWAS, tariff cuts on liberalized goods reduce average carbon intensity. A full liberalization scenario suggests intra-African trade could rise by 32% while emissions grow by 24%, implying a modest decline in emission intensity. AfCFTA thus expands trade but requires complementary green policies.
