A major push to digitize and integrate Africa’s trade corridors is set to be unveiled at the COMESA Heads of State Summit this week, creating significant opportunities for investors in fintech, logistics, and digital infrastructure.
With Kenya taking the helm of the bloc, the summit will focus on executing a tech-driven agenda designed to unlock the vast, under-tapped potential of intra-African commerce.
The commitment to dismantle analog trade barriers presents a clear growth vector. The market opportunity is substantial: intra-African trade reached approximately $192 billion in 2023, accounting for about 15 percent of Africa’s total trade, and this share is steadily increasing.
However, COMESA’s own intra-bloc exports remain a modest 9.4%, highlighting a significant efficiency gap that technology can bridge. Companies specializing in trade facilitation software, cross-border payment platforms, and port automation are poised to benefit as COMESA members commit to concrete reforms.
Kenyan Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui confirmed the focus, stating the summit is about scaling tools like “electronic certificates of origin, interoperable payments, [and] smart border systems.”
This explicit governmental push de-risks investment in these sectors and creates a mandated market for solutions that solve these specific frictions. The Summit is expected to adopt a firm timetable for the deployment of these systems, providing clarity and a roadmap for private sector engagement.
This strategic shift positions intra-African commerce not just as a policy goal, but as the next frontier for market growth and investment returns.
The Nairobi summit signals that the political will to create a seamless, digitalized regional market is stronger than ever, making the supporting technology and service sectors a high-potential space for capital allocation.
The move is a direct response to volatile external trade environments, making the growth of internal trade a compelling narrative for long-term, sustainable investment on the continent.
