Ethiopia Records $23 Million in AfCFTA Trade as Tariff Rollout Lags
A Trade Ministry document says Ethiopia has recorded $23 million in trade under AfCFTA preferences while continent-wide implementation of tariff schedules remains incomplete.
In short
- A Trade Ministry document says Ethiopia has recorded $23 million in trade under AfCFTA preferences while continent-wide implementation of tariff schedules remains incomplete.
Ethiopia has recorded $23 million in trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area as implementation of tariff schedules continues unevenly across member countries, according to a Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration document reported on August 29, 2026.
The document says 50 countries have submitted tariff schedules to the AfCFTA Secretariat, but only 25 have published them in official gazettes and 16 have schedules covering all categories of goods. The gaps limit the practical use of the agreement’s tariff preferences even as formal participation expands.
AfCFTA is intended to reduce barriers within Africa and create a larger continental market. Converting negotiated schedules into enforceable national rules is a necessary step before businesses can consistently claim preferential rates at borders.
Ethiopia’s recorded trade offers an early measure of use of the framework, but the ministry figures also indicate that broader gains will depend on faster implementation and clearer customs procedures across participating economies.
