Gauteng’s role in building pathways for intra-African trade

Tens of thousands of African business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors gathered recently at the 2025 Intra-African Trade Fair in Algiers, united by the single goal of building pathways for trade that are African by design and African in impact.

The outcomes of this gathering will help define how Africa industrialises, trades, and grows in the coming years, and Gauteng is ready to be the springboard for that growth.

This is the same ambition that drives our work as the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA). Our province has long been South Africa’s economic hub, and we are committed to expanding its role across the continent by promoting value-added manufacturing, innovation, and inclusive trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Leveraging AfCFTA’s opportunities

 The AfCFTA is a concrete expression of Africa’s self-confidence and its belief in its future. By connecting 55 nations into a single free-flowing market of 1.5 billion people with a combined GDP of more than $3.4 trillion, the AfCFTA will open new opportunities to harness one of the fastest-growing consumer and business markets in the world.

The Brookings Institution and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) have both highlighted that Africa’s combined consumer and business spending could reach as much as $6.7 trillion by 2030, fuelled by a young, urbanising, and digitally connected population. The potential is immense, and Gauteng is exceptionally well-positioned to help unlock it.

Notably, while Gauteng is South Africa’s smallest province by land area, it is the largest by economic contribution, generating 34% of national GDP. It is the platform for over 60% of South Africa’s exports to the rest of Africa.

Anchored by OR Tambo International Airport (Africa’s busiest cargo airport), the City Deep dry port, and a rail and road network that conveniently links the province to the rest of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Gauteng offers a natural hub and gateway for continental trade.

But to truly benefit from AfCFTA, we must break the pattern of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods. Industrialisation and regional value chains are crucial for supporting local businesses and generating local jobs.

Building industrial pathways

 This is precisely why Gauteng’s five strategic development corridors are so critical. Our province is home to globally competitive sectors, including automotive, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, ICT, and the creative industries. These corridors stimulate investment, attract innovation, and connect local industries to continental markets.

For example, the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone is positioning South Africa as a leader in next-generation vehicle manufacturing. In Ekurhuleni, the OR Tambo Special Economic Zone is attracting pharmaceutical companies to localise production, creating pathways to supply essential medicines into African markets.

We are also advancing knowledge-based industries. Gauteng hosts some of Africa’s most prominent universities and research institutions, including Wits, UNISA, and Pretoria, alongside a substantial number of multinational corporate offices. This intellectual capital is a crucial export in its own right, supporting African businesses in financial services, healthcare, digital innovation, and infrastructure.

The GGDA plays a central role in enabling this growth. Through trade missions, incubation programmes, export readiness training, and digital platforms such as our Export Portal, we are helping local enterprises access new markets across the continent. By unblocking regulatory red tape, creating B2B linkages, and facilitating investment, we are ensuring that Gauteng’s entrepreneurs and manufacturers are positioned to succeed under the AfCFTA.

Partnerships and successes

 One such success story is Cheetah Energy Drink, the brainchild of entrepreneur Vuyo Gumede, and a proudly South African, women-led enterprise. With the GGDA’s support, Cheetah secured global certifications, participated in international expos, and brokered distribution agreements across multiple regions.

Today, the brand is available in more than 50 international markets, offering a low-caffeine, vitamin-rich alternative to global energy drink brands. Its exports across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe demonstrate how local innovations, when paired with strategic support, can achieve international success.

A broader increase in investor confidence mirrors this entrepreneurial momentum. According to the Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) FDI Tracker for the first quarter of 2025, Gauteng recorded the most significant number of new investment projects in South Africa, including five significant investments in manufacturing (R2 billion), services (R3.3 billion), and utilities. Together, these point to Gauteng’s role as Africa’s premier destination for trade and industrial activity, and its pivotal role in realising AfCFTA’s growth ambitions.

But this is only the beginning for Gauteng. We welcome partnerships, and we are ready to collaborate on infrastructure, skills, and industrialisation.

The Intra-African Trade Fair has reminded us that Africa must be the author of its own destiny. As Gauteng, we must stand ready to play our part in writing the next chapter, acting as a launchpad for businesses, as a bridge between regions, and as a gateway for the world to engage with dynamic African markets.

Sthembiso Dlamini, Acting Group CEO of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency