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Trade-enabling infrastructure across Africa is showing marked improvement, with business confidence and macroeconomic stability strengthening across the continent, according to Issue 5 of the Standard Bank Africa Trade Barometer (ATB).
The report covers Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Philip Myburgh, Head of Trade for Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank Group, noted, “This marks the first time all infrastructure indicators have improved simultaneously, reflecting growing investment in logistics capacity and digital trade facilitation across the continent.”
The 10 markets surveyed represent 68% of Sub‑Saharan Africa’s GDP, highlighting a positive outlook for cross-border commerce.
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The ATB combines macroeconomic indicators with firm-level survey insights from 2,218 companies, 71 percent of which are SMEs.
Growth across these markets is expected to reach 4.3 percent in 2026, supported by moderating inflation and stronger external debt positions.
The business confidence index rose to 65, reflecting expectations of higher turnover and more stable trading conditions, buoyed by commodity strength in gold, platinum, and copper.
East Africa emerged as the strongest-performing region, with a 10-percentage-point increase in export activity.
Kenya is central to this growth, with trade reclassifications and commitments to remove non-tariff barriers enhancing regional integration.
Major corridor upgrades are also reducing border delays and strengthening supply-chain reliability.
Digital systems now facilitate 78 percent of cross-border sales and 79 percent of purchases, driven by mobile-money integration and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).
Meanwhile, climate-related pressures remain, with 38% of firms reporting demand shifts and 32% noting productivity losses.
The ATB highlights improvements across seven pillars, including infrastructure, governance, trade openness, and finance access, indicating that Africa’s trade landscape is being reshaped by integration, infrastructure upgrades, and rising business confidence.
“As AfCFTA implementation deepens and countries harmonise customs and logistics frameworks, Africa’s ability to scale regional value-chains and strengthen competitiveness is set to accelerate,” concluded Myburgh.
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