A new private-sector initiative, Africa Trade Engine (ATE), has been launched to accelerate industrialisation and intra-African trade across the continent.
The project, a joint venture between TRT Manufacturing and TradeDepot, aims to support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by enabling local production and efficient distribution of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).
Speaking at the launch in Johannesburg, ATE Chairman, Mr. Adam Molai, said the initiative would transform Africa’s trade landscape by linking regional production hubs and distribution points from South to East and West Africa.
“The talking is over. Africa Trade Engine ensures Africa’s industrialisation, intra-continental trade, and sustainable job creation are not future aspirations but operational realities,” Molai said.
He noted that ATE would allow global and African brands to manufacture competitively within Africa and reach markets faster.
Also speaking, Mr. Kachi Izukanne, Co-founder of TradeDepot and Chief Executive Officer of ATE, said the model was designed to address Africa’s estimated $50 billion annual import gap in essential goods.
Izukanne said the initiative would create jobs, build technical expertise, and reduce carbon emissions by cutting long-haul transport.
“Manufacturing at home is migration policy in action — dignity and employment anchored in local economies,” he said.
ATE’s infrastructure includes distributed manufacturing and pack-out nodes, with active operations in South Africa, Benin, Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya.
The venture also introduces a Localisation Africa Index to track and reward brands that localise production, offering a new ESG metric for investors and governments.
According to the promoters, ATE is a direct response to the COVID-19 supply chain crisis and aims to build resilience against future disruptions.
With 54 AfCFTA signatories and a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion, the initiative is expected to unlock new trade corridors and foster inclusive growth across the continent.
