KIGALI, Rwanda, May 16, 2026 -- The Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC), a CEO-led platform convened by the UN Global Compact to bring together leading African CEOs and companies to advance sustainable growth, climate action, gender equality and economic transformation across the continent, has launched a major new position paper, Five Mindset Shifts to Unlock Intra-African Trade: A Perspective from African CEOs, at the Africa CEO Forum. The paper presents a CEO-driven, private sector-led roadmap for accelerating regional integration, strengthening African value chains and unlocking sustainable economic growth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The launch of the trade paper at the Africa CEO Forum aligns closely with this year's Forum theme of shared ownership. It reflects growing recognition that Africa's long-term competitiveness will depend on stronger regional integration, coordinated industrial development and greater private sector leadership on intra-African trade.
The paper argues that Africa's transformation will depend not only on policy reform and investment, but on a fundamental shift in how governments, businesses and institutions approach regional integration and collaboration. The paper focuses on the practical actions and mindset shifts African CEOs believe are required to unlock the full potential of regional trade and economic integration.
Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum, Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, said: "Unlocking intra-African trade is one of the greatest economic opportunities of our generation. Africa has the resources, talent and entrepreneurial dynamism to become a major engine of global growth. What is needed now is deeper collaboration between Governments, business and regional institutions to remove barriers to trade, investment and mobility and build the conducive infrastructure to support this. The Africa Business Leaders Coalition is demonstrating how the private sector can help drive a more integrated, resilient and competitive African economy."
The paper outlines five key mindset shifts required to unlock intra-African trade and strengthen Africa's long-term competitiveness:
- Viewing continental collaboration as a strategic advantage rather than competition;
- Recognizing that Africa can produce goods, not just export raw materials;
- Treating the mobility of people and talent as an economic opportunity;
- Building interconnected infrastructure networks instead of isolated national projects; and
- Acting with urgency to seize Africa's current economic moment.
The report also emphasizes the need for stronger regional value chains in sectors including agriculture, automotive manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, while investing in emerging technologies and workforce readiness, including artificial intelligence.
Alongside the trade paper, the ABLC also released its 2025 Voluntary Climate Action and Gender Equality Report, which demonstrates growing momentum among African businesses on climate action, resilience and inclusion. The report highlights that ABLC members have collectively mobilized US$9.4 billion in climate finance since 2023. Other key findings from the report include:
- Approximately 90 per cent of climate finance mobilized by ABLC members has been directed toward climate mitigation and renewable energy projects;
- Half of reporting members now have climate adaptation and resilience plans in place;
- Eighty-four per cent of reporting members have integrated gender equality strategies into overall company strategy;
- Women represent an average of 32 per cent of management positions across participating companies;
- ABLC members provided approximately US$1.02 billion in investment and financing to women-owned SMEs in 2025.
Sharing these statistics, Phumzilie Langeni, ABLC member and Deputy Chairman of DP World Africa reflected on the Coalition's progress from commitments to concrete action: "When we started, it seemed like such a long journey. But I'm reminded of some of the conversations that we've had as members of ABLC — the theme has been that we as African business leaders can solve our own problems. We don't need to wait. We're not waiting to be saved."
About the UN Global Compact
As a special initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the UN Global Compact is a call to companies worldwide to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our vision is clear: to mobilize business to transform sustainability ambition into action at the scale the world demands. With more than 25,000 participants and a presence in over 100 countries through 5 Regional Hubs and more than 70 Country Networks and expansion territories, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative.
For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org
Key Highlights
- ABLC paper outlines five mindset shifts needed to unlock intra-African trade
- AfCFTA could increase African exports by 68% and more than double FDI by 2035
- ABLC members have mobilized US$9.4 billion in climate finance since 2023
- ABLC report highlights growing private sector leadership on climate action, resilience and gender equality
- ABLC members have provided more than US$1 billion in financing to women-owned SMEs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC)?
The UN Global Compact Africa Business Leaders Coalition is a platform convened by the United Nations Global Compact that brings together leading African CEOs and companies to advance sustainable growth, climate action, gender equality and economic transformation across the continent.
What is the new position paper about?
The paper, Five Mindset Shifts to Unlock Intra-African Trade: A Perspective from African CEOs, outlines practical recommendations from African business leaders on how to accelerate regional trade and economic integration under the AfCFTA.
Why is intra-African trade important?
Greater intra-African trade can strengthen economic resilience, create jobs, attract investment, develop regional value chains and reduce reliance on external markets. The AfCFTA is seen as one of the most important economic opportunities for the continent.
What are the five mindset shifts identified in the paper?
The paper calls for:
- Greater continental collaboration;
- More African industrial production and value addition;
- Easier movement of people and talent;
- Better connected infrastructure networks; and
- Faster implementation and action.
What does the ABLC Annual Report show?
The Voluntary Climate Action and Gender Equality Report highlights measurable progress by member companies on climate finance, renewable energy, resilience planning and gender equality.
How much climate finance have ABLC members mobilized?
ABLC members have collectively mobilized approximately US$9.4 billion in climate finance since 2023.
How large is the ABLC network?
The Coalition currently includes 75 companies operating across 52 African countries, representing nearly one million employees and approximately US$171 billion in combined annual revenue.
What role does the private sector play in Africa's development?
The ABLC believes the private sector has a critical role to play in driving investment, innovation, industrialization, climate action and job creation across Africa, particularly through partnerships with governments and regional institutions.
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