The Ghanaian Women in Trade with AfCFTA (GWITA), a newly established organization dedicated to empowering women in Africa’s burgeoning trade landscape, has officially launched. This landmark initiative aims to propel women entrepreneurs beyond small-scale operations, fostering industrial-scale businesses, promoting value addition, and advocating for gender-sensitive trade policies within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Founded in 2024 by a group of visionary women and formally registered in Ghana, GWITA seeks to become the continent’s leading women’s trade organization, equipping its members to compete on a global stage. The founding members, including prominent figures like Doris Abra Adoboe, Lucy Akorfa Yawa Afari, Sylvia Ama Sitsofe Demenya, and Agnes Mawusi Nkansah, envision a future where African women are at the forefront of trade and economic transformation. GWITA’s mission centers on four key pillars: education, capacity building, trade promotion, and policy advocacy, all aimed at dismantling barriers and unlocking the immense potential of women in trade.
The virtual launch of GWITA was met with resounding endorsements from key figures in the trade and development arena. Dr. Fareed Arthur, Executive Director of the Inter-African Trade Capacity Center and former AfCFTA National Coordinator, lauded the organization’s formation as a strategically crucial step in realizing the full potential of the AfCFTA. He emphasized the need for women-led platforms like GWITA to drive industrialization, scale up operations, and capitalize on the vast opportunities presented by the continental market. Dr. Arthur urged a paradigm shift, encouraging women to move beyond small-scale production and forge robust partnerships capable of competing not only regionally but globally. He illustrated this point using the example of shea butter production, highlighting the need to transition from exporting small quantities to large-scale manufacturing and value addition to effectively conquer the African market.
Beyond scaling up production, Dr. Arthur underscored the importance of women actively shaping trade policies. He challenged the traditional notion of leaving policy decisions solely to government, emphasizing that women possess the numbers, expertise, and energy to advocate for policies that support their success within the AfCFTA framework. He further highlighted the critical aspect of financial sustainability, urging GWITA to adopt robust financing models, including membership dues and contributions, to fund research, operations, and strategic outreach. Dr. Arthur stressed the importance of viewing GWITA as a business venture, requiring capital and structure to achieve its ambitious goals.
Mrs. Nelly Spio-Abaidoo, Head of the Handicraft and Industrial Art Department at the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), also addressed the launch, highlighting the significant, albeit often overlooked, role of women in Ghana’s trade landscape. She pointed to their substantial contributions in key sectors like agribusiness, textiles, cosmetics, and food processing. Mrs. Spio-Abaidoo acknowledged the challenges faced by many women in accessing formal trade structures, citing issues such as lack of registration, limited access to finance, and complex export processes. She reaffirmed GEPA’s commitment to supporting women-owned SMEs through targeted training programs, market access facilitation, and partnerships with global initiatives like SheTrades, emphasizing that empowering women in trade is not just ethically sound but also economically beneficial.
Both Dr. Arthur and Mrs. Spio-Abaidoo encouraged GWITA members to focus on building viable, export-ready enterprises and to actively participate in shaping inclusive trade policies that reflect the needs and ambitions of women in the AfCFTA era. GWITA’s launch represents a significant step towards realizing the full potential of women in African trade, promising to unlock new opportunities for economic growth and empowerment across the continent. The organization’s focus on capacity building, policy advocacy, and market access will be crucial in enabling women entrepreneurs to navigate the complexities of the AfCFTA and compete successfully on a global scale.
The overarching message from the launch event was a call to action: for women to embrace the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA, to scale up their businesses, to actively participate in shaping trade policies, and to build a future where women are central to Africa’s economic transformation. GWITA’s strategic focus on these key areas positions it as a vital catalyst for change, poised to empower a new generation of African women entrepreneurs and drive inclusive economic growth across the continent. The success of GWITA will be a testament to the power of collective action and the transformative potential of women in driving sustainable development and shaping the future of African trade.
