President Nana Akufo-Addo has said the African Continental Free Trade Area has laid the groundwork for "a monumental shift in our economic landscape" to bring "transformation that will reverberate across the length and breadth of our great continent". 

Speaking at the 3i Africa Summit in Accra, Mr Akufo-Addo said: “By 2035, AFCFTA aims to lift some 30 million Africans out of the clutches of extreme poverty while boosting simultaneously the incomes of some 68 million people." 

"The agreement is projected to increase intra-African trade by some 52%, unleashing a wave of economic activity that generates some $450 billion to our collective GDP.”

“These are not mere statistics," Mr Akufo-Addopointed out, adding: "These are testament to the potential that lies within our grasp, a promise of a brighter future for all Africans." 

"But to realise fully these benefits, we must harness the transformative power of fintech and digital innovation," the president pointed out.

He said: "We must embrace the technologies that reshape the global economy and make them work for us, tailoring them to the unique needs and challenges of our diverse and dynamic continent.”

“Governments across Africa should invest heavily in the digital infrastructure that will fill the form of the backbone of our shared prosperity. We must create policies and foster innovation, encourage entrepreneurship, and attract investment from both within and beyond our borders", Mr Akufo-Addo mentioned.

Also, he urged: “We must promote interoperability to reduce transaction cost and delays tearing down the silos that have hindered our progress for too long and we must leverage the power of digital identity programmes such as Ghana card to improve access to financial services."