Gnassingbé Urges ‘Shift from Political Rhetoric to Practical Execution’ at Biashara Afrika 2026
The 3rd Biashara Afrika 2026 conference (#BA2026) took place at the Palais des Congrès in Lomé from 18 to 20 May 2026. Under the theme ‘Powering Africa’s Economic Transformation Through the AfCFTA’,1,500 policymakers, entrepreneurs and global investors converged on the Togolese capital to foster economic integration and transformation.
Biashara can mean business, trade or commerce in Kiswahili, and the #BiasharaAfrika conference has emerged as the premier event of the #AfCFTA Secretariat under the aegis of the African Union. It aims to leverage the single market enabled by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to attract investment and boost the economic development of the continent.
“African economic integration is no longer a distant aspiration; it is now becoming a historic necessity… The time for the vision must become the time for results.”
Toto President Faure Gnassingbé
During the opening plenary, Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé delivered the welcome address. He underlined the urgent need to shift from political rhetoric to practical execution.
During the Conference, the AfCFTA Secretariat signed an MoU with EcoBank Group for a trade finance package worth USD 3 billion, targeting SME, women entrepreneurs, and youth startups.
President Gnassingbé also underlined the need to remove trade barriers and impediments to free movement within the African continent. Arbitrarily drawn up borders during colonial times should not impose artificial barriers for African brothers and sisters to meet and do business. To put words into action, he announced that Togo would obviate visas for all Africans with immediate effect as of 18 May 2026.
He called for the acceleration of a continent-wide digital payment system to facilitate national and transnational transactions. At the same time, cross-border logistics, transnational transport infrastructure, and regional economic corridors must be a priority to achieve economic integration and unlock the true potential of the AfCFTA.