Speaking at the annual Chief Albert Luthuli Memorial Lecture at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday, Okonjo-Iweala said Africa has not fully benefited from the multilateral trading system and remains poorly integrated into global markets.
An honour to do the Chief Albert Luthuli Memorial Lecture today in Durban, South Africa, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal @UKZN. Chief Albert Luthuli is an icon. The first African to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960 for his peaceful anti-apartheid activities as leader of the… pic.twitter.com/Tp2lSV4lOs
— Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (@NOIweala) November 20, 2025
She argued that high trade costs, cumbersome border procedures and inadequate infrastructure continue to obstruct intra-African commerce. Introducing an African visa, she said, would cut the cost of doing business across borders and help boost trade within the continent.
“We must continue the battle. And that’s what makes me wake up every day because we have not benefited enough on the African continent,” she said. “We cannot allow the ladder that allowed others to climb up to be kicked away just when we are getting ready. We must battle for it.”
Okonjo-Iweala stressed that improving connectivity, harmonising regulations and supporting small businesses will be essential if Africa is to unlock the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
–SABC/ChannelAfrica–
