As AfCFTA drives new trade opportunities, businesses are calling for faster cross border payment systems and improved access to liquidity.
African trade continued to gather momentum during the first half of 2026, but businesses expanding across the continent are still being held back by fragmented payment systems, liquidity constraints and foreign exchange challenges.
According to global business to business financial technology firm Verto, companies are increasingly looking beyond their domestic markets for growth as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) continues to create new opportunities.
However, many of the long standing financial barriers to seamless cross border trade remain firmly in place.
Ola Oyetayo, chief executive of Verto, said businesses across Africa were showing growing confidence despite the operational complexities involved in moving money between countries.
