Key Findings per World Bank Report

 

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement represents a major opportunity for countries to boost growth, reduce poverty, and broaden economic inclusion.

 

Implementing AfCFTA would:

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• Lift 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty and boost the incomes of nearly 68 million others who live on less than $5.50 a day;

• Boost Africa’s income by $450 billion by 2035 (a gain of 7%) while adding $76 billion to the income of the rest of the world.;

• Increase Africa’s exports by $560 billion, mostly in manufacturing;

• Spur larger wage gains for women (10.5 %) than for men (9.9%);

• Boost wages for both skilled and unskilled workers—10.3% for unskilled workers, and 9.8% for skilled workers;

• Of the $450 billion in income gains from AfCFTA, $292 billion would come from stronger trade facilitation—measures to reduce red tape and simplify customs procedures;

• Tariff liberalisation is important, but by itself it would boost the continent’s income by just 0.2 %.