A few years ago, African member states adopted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a framework to allow deregulated economic  and skills flows across the borders to allow for regional co-operation, inclusive growth, sustainable development and sovereignty for the continent to finally self-determine its own pan-African economic path.

This came after decades of observations about the disconnected nature and design of Africa, which makes it impossible for it to trade with itself. Many research publications have emphasised that African countries trade more with their European counterparts than they do among themselves...