AfCFTA launches SME Booster Programme for North African businesses

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has launched the North Africa Regional Cohort of its SME Booster Programme in Tunis, Tunisia. The initiative aims to prepare small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and business support organisations to expand beyond domestic markets and compete across the African continent.

The programme provides practical assistance in critical areas such as export readiness, product standards, digital trade, access to finance, logistics, and market entry. By addressing these technical requirements, the initiative seeks to move AfCFTA implementation from high-level policy negotiations into the actual operations of individual businesses.

Participants in the North Africa cohort include enterprises from Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and Tunisia. The programme is designed to help businesses overcome practical barriers to cross-border trade, such as managing customs documentation, proving the origin of goods, and meeting destination market regulatory requirements.