East Africa sets 2026 deadline to scrap trade barriers, but past disputes raise doubts
The decision, reached at the bloc’s 25th Ordinary Summit in Arusha on March 7, underscores efforts to remove longstanding obstacles that continue to slow the movement of goods across member states. Non-tariff barriers, ranging from bureaucratic delays and inconsistent standards to restrictive licensing regimes, have long raised the cost of doing business within the region. […]
Non-tariff barriers could hurt East Africa’s integration gains
For more than a decade, East Africa has steadily built one of the most compelling regional integration stories on the continent. Governments, working with development partners, have made significant investments in One-Stop Border Posts, and digital customs systems have replaced much of the physical paperwork that once slowed trade. This enables goods to be cleared […]
Traders brace for higher costs as Tanzania joins Kenya in raising port tariffs
Traders across East Africa face rising costs after Tanzania introduced new cargo handling tariffs, just weeks after Kenya raised its own. The Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) says the revised charges, effective from January 9, 2026, will increase port service fees by between 2 and 15 percent, adding fresh pressure to logistics and consumer prices in […]
Africa’s Entrepreneurs Confront Rising Non‑Tariff Trade Barriers
Africa’s trade challenges have shifted decisively. Tariffs, once the headline obstacle, are no longer the biggest threat. Instead, non‑tariff measures (NTMs)—fragmented standards, slow and inconsistent testing regimes, unrecognised certificates, and unresolved procedural disputes—are quietly shutting firms out of markets. TradeMark Africa’s (TMA) 2024–25 Annual Report underscores the point: “Tariffs are no longer the main obstacle to Africa’s […]
Elmy: From seaweed errand to blue economy trailblazer
Dar es Salaam. On a small island off the coast of Mkuranga, what began as a young woman’s errand quietly evolved into a national mission. In 2023, shortly after completing her undergraduate studies, Ms Farhiya Elmy travelled to Kwale Island to buy seaweed. Her mother had been advised to use it for reproductive health. But […]
Trade Ministry and TradeMark Africa partner to boost Ghana’s garment industry
The Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing trade facilitation challenges affecting Ghana’s textile and garment industry, describing the sector as a strategic pillar of the country’s industrialisation and export diversification agenda. Speaking at the Public-Private Dialogue on Textile and Garment Trade Facilitation Challenges in Sogakope […]
Traders brace for higher costs as Tanzania joins Kenya in raising port tariffs
Traders across East Africa face rising costs after Tanzania introduced new cargo handling tariffs, just weeks after Kenya raised its own. The Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) says the revised charges, effective from January 9, 2026, will increase port service fees by between 2 and 15 percent, adding fresh pressure to logistics and consumer prices in […]
PM Abiy spotlights Ethiopia–Djibouti railway
Ethiopia is repositioning the Ethio–Djibouti Railway as a credibility asset for trade competitiveness in 2026. The Ethio–Djibouti railway is becoming central to Ethiopia’s 2026 logistics strategy as policy focuses on lower trade friction and stronger delivery capacity. A logistics message with macro weight When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the Ethio–Djibouti Railway Corporation on 4 January 2026, […]
Trade Minister commends TMA for empowering women-led businesses to access export markets
By Rachel Kakraba The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare, has acknowledged the support of TradeMark Africa, TMA, for its role in empowering women-led businesses through targeted training to access the export market. The initiative she noted has helped equip women entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge required to meet international trade […]
South Sudan pushes for one-stop border project to ease trade bottlenecks
Nimule One-Stop Border Post project construction. [Photo: TradeMark Africa] JUBA — South Sudan’s minister of trade and industry, Atong Kuol Manyang, met on Monday with the Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA), William Anyuon Kuol, to advance plans for a “One-Stop Border Post” (OSBP) intended to reduce persistent cross-border delays. The high-level […]