Executive Chairman of the McDan Group of Companies, Daniel McKorley, has highlighted high transport costs, border delays, and inconsistent customs procedures as major obstacles to intra-African trade.

Speaking on the second day of the 2026 African Prosperity Dialogues in Accra, he emphasised that these challenges continue to hinder small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly women- and youth-led businesses, from fully engaging in cross-border commerce.

McKorley described the situation as symptomatic of longstanding structural and logistical inefficiencies within Africa’s trade and transport systems.

“If SMEs cannot trade across borders, AfCFTA will remain a beautiful document rather than a living marketplace,” he said.

He added, “Let us be honest about the barriers. High transport costs, delays at borders, inconsistent customs processes, and fragmented regulations continue to suffocate growth. I have seen situations where moving goods within Africa costs more than shipping to another continent. We must make trade practical for SMEs.”

According to McKorley, addressing these bottlenecks is essential to ensure that Africa’s free trade ambitions translate into real economic opportunities for entrepreneurs across the continent.