The Africa Supply Chain Insights Bulletin is a new monthly initiative developed by Desiderio Consultants in collaboration with the Advanced Institute for Supply Chain Research AISCR, to provide concise, insight-driven analysis of key trends shaping supply chains across the continent. The inaugural issue focuses on Africa’s evolving energy landscape, highlighting how recent global disruptions are exposing structural vulnerabilities while simultaneously creating new opportunities for regional transformation. Across the continent, persistent challenges remain, fuel shortages, price volatility, and fragmented supply systems. These issues are not isolated; they reflect deeper structural constraints, including limited refining capacity, infrastructure bottlenecks, and weak cross-border coordination. At the same time, important developments are reshaping the outlook. Strategic investments such as Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery are strengthening regional supply potential, while the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is opening new pathways for intra-African energy trade...

Our article challenges conventional thinking in Customs by reframing the concept of control. Its core message is straightforward yet impactful: the problem is not insufficient control, but poorly designed control. It advocates for a transition from blanket verification to risk-based, intelligence-led approaches, where instruments such as self-certification are complemented by targeted ex-post checks and robust penalty structures for non-compliance. This perspective is consistent with growing evidence that overly complex origin requirements undermine both the ability and the willingness of firms to utilize trade preferences. The article goes beyond critique. It sets out a practical pathway toward reducing trader costs, improving compliance, and strengthening enforcement. In doing so, it calls for a broader shift in modern Customs systems (from more control to smarter control), a transition that is particularly critical in developing and least developed countries, where high control levels are often driven by their higher reliance on revenue collection at borders. Read it on the World Customs Journal.