WHY DOESN’T AFRICA TRADE MORE WITH ITSELF?

Society & Diplomacy with Halima Abdullah · Oct 8, 2026 · 15m

Africa is home to 54 countries, enormous natural resources, growing populations, and some of the world’s fastest-growing markets. Yet, a significant share of African countries’ trade is still conducted with countries outside the continent.

So why don’t African countries trade more with each other?

In this episode of Society & Diplomacy with Halima Abdullah, we explore the reasons behind Africa’s relatively low levels of intra-African trade and what this means for businesses, consumers, jobs, economic growth, and Africa’s future.

We look at:

Why African countries often import from outside the…