As 2025 draws to a close, it is time to take stock of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and assess what has been achieved over the past five years. Since its formal launch in January 2021, the AfCFTA has been the subject of unprecedented attention from media outlets, research institutes, universities, think tanks, and policy analysts across the continent and beyond. Virtually every aspect of the agreement—from tariff liberalisation and rules of origin to industrialisation, infrastructure, and digital trade—has been scrutinised, debated, and documented. This sustained engagement has generated a rich body of analysis, often portraying the AfCFTA as Africa’s most ambitious economic integration project to date. Yet, as noted in this article, despite this intellectual and political momentum, the AfCFTA remains very much a work in progress.

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The global energy debate is undergoing a significant shift. As explained by a recent World Economic Forum (WEF) article, advanced economies are increasingly prioritizing energy security (defined as access to energy that is affordable, reliable, and firmly under national control), over the earlier emphasis on climate mitigation and energy transition. This change creates both opportunities and risks for Africa. The continent continues to experience acute energy poverty. More than 600 million people lack access to electricity, and in many countries unreliable and costly power supply remains a major constraint on industrialization. Without stable and affordable energy, factories cannot operate efficiently, production cannot scale, and sustained job creation remains elusive.

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