A new report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation warns that poor mobility and weak infrastructure are slowing Africa’s economic integration and limiting the continent’s growth potential.

The report, titled Africa on the Move: Boosting Mobility and Connectivity, says Africans still face major obstacles when travelling, trading and moving goods across the continent despite years of commitments to regional integration.

According to the report, only four African countries have so far ratified the African Union’s Free Movement of Persons Protocol adopted in 2018. Those countries are Mali, Niger, Rwanda and São Tomé and Príncipe.

The foundation says the slow implementation of free movement policies is undermining the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to boost intra-African trade and economic co-operation.

The report also highlights major infrastructure gaps across Africa, including poor transport networks, limited rail connectivity and high air travel costs, which continue to make movement across the continent expensive and difficult.

It notes that more than 80% of African migration takes place within Africa, challenging the common perception that most African migrants move to Europe or other regions.

The foundation argues that improving both “soft connectivity”, such as visa-free movement and trade policies, and “hard connectivity” through roads, railways, ports and digital infrastructure will be critical for accelerating industrialisation, trade and regional integration.

The report was released during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, where policymakers and business leaders discussed ways to strengthen Africa’s economic resilience amid global geopolitical and supply chain disruptions.

–ChannelAfrica–