Register Now!
Exclusive Event
ALN Academy invites you to a webinar
Youth and Intra-African Trade: Unlocking Youth Potential in Africa’s Trading Future
Youth and Intra-African Trade is at the heart of Africa’s economic transformation—but are young people meaningfully included in the journey?
Africa’s youth are bold, connected, and brimming with entrepreneurial potential. Yet when it comes to trade, they remain largely on the periphery—concentrated in low-value activities, excluded from regional value chains, and often invisible in national trade strategies. For youth to truly power the continent’s growth, they must be placed at the centre of Africa’s trading future.
Key Themes
From Low-Value to High-Growth
Young traders are often stuck in low-margin activities—resale, informal vending, and cross-border hustles.
🔹 How can youth-led businesses transition into high-growth areas like logistics, agri-processing, fintech, and manufacturing?
Certification and Trade Readiness
Access to standards like HACCP or ISO remains a costly and complex hurdle for many youth-led SMEs.
🔹 What mechanisms can help young entrepreneurs meet cross-border requirements and participate in regulated markets?
Digital Tools & Market Intelligence
Most youth traders operate with limited access to formal data or trade infrastructure.
🔹 What existing platforms can be made more youth-accessible to reduce inefficiencies and level the playing field?
The AfCFTA Youth Protocol in Practice
The 2024 Protocol is a historic win—but how do we translate policy into real change?
🔹 How can youth influence national trade agendas and claim their space in the AfCFTA ecosystem?
This session is part of ALN Academy’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s legal and institutional development by convening real dialogue between policymakers, youth, and practitioners. Join us as we move from promise to priority—and help reimagine the future of youth and intra-African trade.
Panel of Industry experts
Get ready to gain insights from:
Speaker: Faith Chelangat
Consultant, ALN Kenya
Faith is an international trade law consultant with a focus on regional integration, trade negotiations, policy implementation, and investment dispute resolution. She bridges legal insight with policy strategy, particularly around the AfCFTA and the digitisation of commerce in Africa. Beyond trade, Faith is also a certified mediator and arbitration practitioner, with experience in domestic dispute resolution.
Speaker: Natan Addisu
Innovation Associate, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD), African Union Commission
Speaker: Anele Simon
Acting Secretary General, Independent Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA (ICOYACA)
Anele Simon serves as the Acting Secretary General of the Independent Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA (ICOYACA), where she actively champions the meaningful inclusion of youth in Africa's trade landscape. Anele holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and furthered her academic pursuits with a Masters in European and International Trade and Investment Law at Université Catholique de Lyon, France.
With a background deeply rooted in legal studies, Anele is also a legal researcher and author, focusing on international intellectual property law, AfCFTA implementation strategies and the crucial role of youth in shaping the continent's economic future. Her work underscores the significance of youth economic empowerment and devising innovative approaches to foster inclusivity within trade frameworks.
Speaker: Siyabonga Hans
Treasurer, South African Youth Trade Association
Siyabonga is a youth economic advocate serving as Treasurer at both the South African Youth Trade Association and the Eastern Cape chapter of the Township Economic Commission. He is also the co-founder of Top 100 Youth-led NPOs, and is passionate about driving economic and sports reform to create more inclusive opportunities for young South Africans.
