Special Economic Zones (SEZs), as a policy tool in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), are one of the most debated topics this year. Currently, more than 230 SEZs established across the continent offer local and foreign investors the opportunity to take advantage of state-of-the-art infrastructure, links to major logistics hubs, and generous tax incentives, to conduct their manufacturing activities under particularly competitive conditions. Yet, opinions regarding their ability to drive African development are mixed. This is due to the fact that not always these zones have produced positive results in terms of attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) and know-how, creation of jobs and improvement of trade balances of African nations through increased exports.