Former President John Dramani Mahama has called for greater collaboration among African nations to harmonize trade practices and protect the continent from the adverse effects of externally imposed tariffs.

Speaking at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Côte d’Ivoire, Mahama emphasized the urgency of regional cooperation to strengthen Africa’s economic resilience. He stressed that improved revenue collection and infrastructure development are essential to support seamless movement of goods and people across borders.

“African countries must see the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as a powerful tool for boosting intra-African trade,” Mahama said. He warned that Africa’s limited economic integration has made the continent vulnerable to tariffs unilaterally imposed by external countries and economic blocs pursuing their own interests.

“Unfortunately, the system is being undermined, and countries are imposing tariffs that suit their own agendas,” he noted. “It sends a clear message to Africa—there is no free lunch out there.”

Mahama outlined a roadmap for strengthening Africa’s trade capacity, including mobilizing domestic revenue, enhancing value addition to natural resources, and investing in critical infrastructure.

“We must harness local resources to develop roads, ports, railways, and aviation networks. We must also ensure we’re getting better value from the vast natural wealth that God has endowed us with,” he said.

Highlighting the transformative potential of the AfCFTA, Mahama encouraged African countries to increase trade among themselves, stressing that deeper intra-continental commerce would reduce dependence on external markets and bolster regional economies.

He also commended the AfDB for its pivotal role in financing infrastructure projects across the continent, noting that investments in road networks and port expansions are key to facilitating trade under the AfCFTA framework.

“It’s not enough to have a trade agreement on paper. Without functioning highways, railways, and air links, trade cannot flourish,” he emphasized. “In Ghana, for example, we’ve expanded our ports to handle some of the world’s largest vessels. Tema Port now serves as a gateway for landlocked countries in the region, enhancing trade efficiency.”