AfCFTA Opens Major Trade and Industrial Opportunities for Ethiopia and Zambia

Addis Ababa, January 21, 2026 (ENA)— Zambian Ambassador to Ethiopia Alber Muchanga has underscored the significant opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), calling on African governments and the private sector to scale up industrial capacity and deepen economic integration.

Speaking to the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) Muchanga, has emphasized the vast opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), following the signing and ratification of the agreement by both Ethiopia and Zambia.

Ambassador Muchanga, beginning his second tour of duty in Ethiopia, emphasized that Zambia and Ethiopia could play a pivotal role in advancing industrial collaboration and economic integration across Africa.

He added that following the signing and ratification of the agreement, the key priority is scaling up industrial capacity to meet continental demand.

 “The African Continental Free Trade Area represents an aggregate market of about 1.5 billion people,” Muchanga said. “After signing and ratifying the agreement, the priority is to ensure that our industries can supply this market at scale.”

He explained that many African industries were historically designed to serve only national markets, leaving significant untapped potential for cross-border collaboration.

“Most of our industries across Africa were designed for the national market. Now we need to cluster our industries to supply this large market and move towards a customs union,” he said.

According to him, entrepreneurs from Ethiopia and Zambia, as well as across the continent, should explore ways to cluster industries and build joint production capacity to meet continental demand.

Muchanga underlined on the need to safeguard the continent’s interests, noting the importance of advancing toward a customs union under the AfCFTA framework.

“There is already a provision in the agreement to establish a customs union. Africa must move in that direction,” he said, adding that a common external tariff would help protect the internal market and strengthen Africa’s bargaining power.

He underscored the need to convince both governments and the private sector of the benefits of deeper economic integration.

Muchanga also said he plans to work closely with Ethiopian authorities and engage business communities to promote understanding of the advantages of a customs union.

“When you have a customs union, you effectively create a single market,” he explained. “For African countries, the market is no longer the national population it is the combined population of 1.5 billion people.”

The ambassador underscored the importance of African unity in shaping the continent’s role in the changing global order.

“Africa should be part of the designers of the changing world order,” he stated, citing the historical significance of Ethiopia as the birthplace of the OAU and the African Union.

The ambassador concluded by urging the private sector to build the capacity required to supply this large and growing market on a consistent basis, describing AfCFTA as a transformative opportunity for African industrialization and economic growth.