The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has entered into a strategic partnership with Rendeavour, Africa’s new city builder to support infrastructure-led industrialisation and trade development across the continent.
The partnership makes Rendeavour the AfCFTA’s inaugural implementation partner for African industrialisation and trade infrastructure, according to a statement to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
Under the agreement, Rendeavour would support the AfCFTA Secretariat in advancing Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as catalysts for industrialisation, mobilising private capital for trade-enabling infrastructure, and developing trade and industrial corridors linked to master-planned cities, logistics networks and integrated industrial hubs.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of Biashara Afrika 2026, the AfCFTA Secretariat’s flagship private sector engagement platform, which brought together Heads of State and Government, ministers, regulators, investors and business leaders to promote industrialisation, intra-African trade and private sector-led growth.
The AfCFTA, with a combined Gross Domestic Product of more than 3.4 trillion dollars, is projected to generate an additional 450 billion dollars in income across Africa by 2035.
However, intra-African trade currently accounts for only 14 per cent of the continent’s total trade, while Africa hosts just four per cent of the world’s Special Economic Zones, representing about 230 out of more than 5,400 globally.
Mr Stephen Jennings, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rendeavour, said the partnership marked a significant step towards translating Africa’s economic potential into tangible investments and industrial growth.
“Africa is not only the fastest growing region in the world; with time it will also become one of the safest and most reliable destinations for investment,” he stated.
He said the partnership recognised Rendeavour’s cities as infrastructure-ready environments where investment, manufacturing and trade could thrive.
Rendeavour, backed by American, Norwegian, New Zealand and British investors, operates large-scale urban development projects in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its projects, valued at more than five billion dollars, include 250 businesses, schools serving over 6,000 students and 10,000 mixed-income homes.
The company’s Special Economic Zones, including Tatu City in Kenya and Alaro City in Nigeria, have attracted billions of dollars in domestic and foreign investment.
Other projects include Kiswishi City in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jigna City in Nigeria, Roma Park in Zambia, as well as Appolonia City and King City in Ghana.
Collectively, the developments have created more than 50,000 jobs over the past five years.
Mr Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, said the implementation of the AfCFTA required strategic partnerships capable of transforming the opportunities under the Agreement into commercially viable industrial and trade ecosystems.
“Special Economic Zones, logistics platforms and integrated industrial infrastructure will play an important role in strengthening regional value chains, expanding manufacturing capacity and facilitating intra-African trade,” he said.
He described the partnership as a demonstration of growing private sector confidence in Africa’s single market and industrial future.
The African Continental Free Trade Area is a flagship project under Agenda 2063 that came into force in May 2019 and started trading in Jan 2021. It brings together all 55 AU member states to create a market of 1.3+ billion people.
The agreement covers trade in goods and services, digital trade, investment, IP, and competition policy. Its main goal is to cut trade barriers and boost intra-African trade, especially in value-added production and services. Estimates say it could increase intra-African trade by 52.3% through tariff cuts and easier trade processes.
Rendeavour builds new cities across Africa with backing from US, Norwegian, NZ, and UK investors.
projects in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, and DRC are among Africa’s largest construction efforts, designed as infrastructure-ready economic zones for business, housing, schools, and recreation.
Current development is worth over $5B, with 250 businesses, 10,000 mixed-income homes, and schools for 6,000+ students.
In the last 5 years it’s created 50,000+ jobs, including East Africa’s largest call centre with 5,000 young Kenyans serving clients like United Airlines, JetBlue, and Amazon.
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba
Reporter: Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
