AfCFTA harmonises rules of origin to boost intra-African trade

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is advancing its regulatory framework through the harmonisation of rules of origin. This initiative aims to provide businesses with a common framework to determine which goods qualify for preferential treatment, thereby increasing predictability in cross-border trade across the continent.

Negotiations for these rules, which began in 2018, were nearing finalisation as of October 2025. The framework covers more than 5,000 products across 97 chapters of the Harmonised System of tariff nomenclature. To qualify for tariff reductions or exemptions, products must be wholly obtained in Africa or undergo sufficient transformation based on specific criteria.

Since official trading began in January 2021, the AfCFTA has made institutional progress, with most African nations signing the agreement. While the project seeks to develop regional value chains and facilitate the movement of goods and services, intra-African trade currently accounts for approximately 15% to 20% of the continent's total trade.