Lagos, Nigeria, 17 September 2024 – The Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, H.E. Wamkele Mene, delivered a keynote address at Verod Capital Management’s 2024 Annual Investors’ Meeting, highlighting the transformative role of the AfCFTA in Africa’s economic landscape.

In his keynote speech titled “AfCFTA as a Catalyst for Job Creation, Gender Equality, and Sustainable Development,”H.E. Mene emphasised the AfCFTA’s potential to unlock Africa’s long-term growth by fostering industrialisation, driving job creation, and promoting inclusivity through gender equality. He commended Verod Capital for their continued efforts in providing growth capital to medium-sized businesses in West Africa, stressing the importance of private capital in the AfCFTA’s implementation.

H.E. Mene also underscored the need for robust investment strategies that align with the goals of the AfCFTA, particularly in sectors such as value-added manufacturing, digital infrastructure, and renewable energy. He called for the public and private sectors to collaborate in order to build a prosperous and inclusive African economy, noting that investments under the AfCFTA framework could generate millions of jobs and enhance gender equity.

The Secretary General reiterated that the AfCFTA is more than a trade agreement, calling it a “vehicle for sustainable economic development” and highlighting the significant strides made in facilitating intra-African trade since the AfCFTA’s inception.

The address reinforced the critical role that collaboration between the private sector and the AfCFTA Secretariat will play in driving Africa’s economic transformation, creating opportunities for sustainable growth across the continent.