Nairobi, Kenya – May 2, 2025 – YoguPay, a leading cross-border payment solutions provider, convened a high-level virtual forum titled “Overcoming Trade Barriers in the African Export and Import Industry,” spotlighting the urgent reforms needed to unlock Africa’s intra-continental trade potential.

 

Moderated by Sheila Brenda, Media and Communications Officer at YoguPay, the webinar brought together a cross-section of trade experts, SMEs, fintech stakeholders, and policy influencers to unpack real-world roadblocks to intra-African trade and cross-border payments. It also spotlighted actionable solutions from both the public and private sectors.

A Powerhouse Panel Shaping Africa’s Trade Future

The session featured an esteemed panel of experts:

• Anthony Muchene Kamau, international trade consultant and a pivotal figure behind the implementation of Kenya’s Single Window System at KenTrade, brought a regulatory and logistics perspective rooted in over a decade of experience.
• Ifeoma Abdullahi, Head of Trade Finance at Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria, drew from her 17+ years in structured finance to address the persistent SME financing gap.
• Dr. Uche Anyamele, a legal and policy expert, lent insight on regulatory harmonization needed across African borders to align with AfCFTA goals and success.

 

Each speaker delivered rich insights backed by tangible case studies, field experience, and ongoing initiatives aimed at solving Africa’s most pressing trade challenges.

What’s Stalling African Trade? The Real Bottlenecks in Cross-Border Trade

In his opening remarks, Anthony Kamau outlined the two key categories of trade barriers: tariffs and non-tariffs. While tariff barriers are a familiar hurdle in global trade dynamics, including recent shifts in global trade policy (such as revived tariffs by major economies), it’s the non-tariff barriers – customs delays, documentation, and inconsistent regulations – that are proving most damaging to African businesses.

 

Kamau explained, 

“Whether it’s customs bottlenecks, duplicated paperwork, or the lack of harmonized regulatory requirements across borders, these issues increase both cost and time for African SMEs attempting to scale.”

 

He also highlighted the infrastructural disconnect within Africa:

 

“If you want to ship from Kenya to Ghana, you often go through multiple countries, ports, and compliance processes – each with its own set of rules. Without harmonized systems, African traders face a complex and costly maze.” Kamau noted.

 

Read Also: Key Regulatory Shifts Redefining Cross-Border Payments in Africa

Government–Private Sector Alignment: A Way Forward

In response to a follow-up question from Sheila, Kamau elaborated on the collaborative roles of governments and private sector players like YoguPay in solving these challenges.

 

He emphasized the importance of automated systems, stakeholder communication, and multi-country infrastructure strategies, pointing out progress made through public-private partnerships and donor-backed projects aimed at enhancing trade facilitation.

 

On the financial side, Kamau acknowledged YoguPay’s growing role: 

 

“Cross-border payments are still fraught with risk due to volatile exchange rates and settlement delays. Platforms like YoguPay are helping mitigate these risks by enabling secure, real-time payments.”

Bridging the Digital Divide and Cybersecurity Challenges

From a legal-tech standpoint, Dr. Uche Anyamele underscored Africa’s widening digital divide – not only in infrastructure but also in cybersecurity maturity. Uche emphasized the critical importance of cybersecurity skills across the continent. 

 

“Even in highly developed countries with advanced systems, cyberattacks persist. The key difference is that those attacks are better managed due to sophisticated cybersecurity frameworks. In Africa, we must prioritize not just catching up in systems, but in cultivating cybersecurity expertise.”

 

She also underscored the urgency of updating regulatory frameworks, particularly around data protection. 

 

“Outdated laws won’t suffice. We must prioritize modern, enforceable data protection regulations. Consider Nigeria’s recent hefty fine against Meta for data privacy violations, it underscores that enforcement is possible, necessary, and sets a strong precedent.” 

 

She further advocated for Pan-African legal interoperability, including digitized customs protocols and standardization of cross-border compliance documents.

The SME Financing Gap: Innovation Over Tradition

Addressing the continent’s persistent financing shortfall, Ifeoma Abdullahi called for inclusive financial models that work for SMEs, not against them.

 

“Traditional banks often view SMEs as high-risk due to lack of collateral and limited credit history,” she said. “But models like supply chain finance, where risk is anchored on larger corporate buyers, are proving effective.”

 

She also highlighted innovations like

• Credit insurance programs to de-risk SME lending.
• Alternative credit scoring, leveraging transaction and sales data.
• Strategic partnerships between commercial banks, fintechs, and DFIs.

 

“These models aren’t theoretical. They’re being implemented today, including at Stanbic,” she affirmed.

Harmonization Is Not Optional – It’s Critical 

Bringing a legal perspective, Dr. Uche underscored the urgency of harmonizing regulations across borders, especially in light of growing digital trade and the AfCFTA.

 

“The biggest regulatory obstacles today are inconsistent compliance standards, duplicated customs procedures, and fragmented enforcement mechanisms,” she explained. 

 

“We need alignment in areas such as digital signatures, documentation standards, and border agency mandates. We must move from abstract alignment to actual interoperability where a digital trader ID issued in Lagos is valid in Nairobi, Kigali, or Dakar,” she said.

 

Her proposal? National African Trade Centers. Physical and digital hubs that unify services under one roof and support exporters and SMEs through every step of the trade journey.

The Future of African Trade: A 2035 Outlook

Sheila posed a final, thought-provoking question to all panelists: “Fast forward to 2035, what does a fully integrated African trade ecosystem look like, and what must we do today to get there?”

 

Anthony Kamau painted a vivid picture of a tech-enabled trade future. 

 

“In 10 years, we envision borderless digital trade with e-customs, electronic certificates, and interoperable e-commerce platforms. We’ll have Pan-African digital trader IDs that allow any African to do business across borders seamlessly.” 

 

He stressed the need for ratifying and implementing AU’s free movement protocols and highlighted the future of AI-enabled smart ports, real-time trade data analytics, and harmonized policy frameworks.

 

Ifeoma Abdullahi aligned with Anthony, advocating for seamless cross-border payments and digitized customs infrastructure. She noted that

 

“Cross-border trade should be as easy as sending a text message across countries.” 

 

She highlighted efforts at Stanbic Bank to support inclusion, particularly for women, youth, and rural producers, and emphasized the need for more collaboration between fintechs and traditional banks to drive rapid progress.

 

Dr. Uche Anyamele echoed the need for practical, seamless systems: 

 

“A youth in Nigeria should be able to sell a product or service in Kenya with zero barriers. We must focus on efficiency and continuity, not just in laws, but in institutional memory and political commitment.” 

 

She advocated for physical trade infrastructure, like national African Trade Centers, that operationalize trade support under one roof, ensuring accessibility and practical guidance.

From Conversation to Execution: A Borderless Trade Mandate

In her closing remarks, Sheila emphasized the importance of moving from diagnosis to execution: 

 

“Africa doesn’t lack ideas. It needs implementation. These discussions must translate into concrete reforms, integrated platforms, and coordinated investments.”

 

She reaffirmed YoguPay’s commitment to building resilient, inclusive financial systems that empower African businesses to trade freely, securely, and seamlessly across borders.