Accra: Chief Executive Officer of Telecel Ghana, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, has emphasized the need for deliberate investment in practical digital skills and awareness of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to ensure that women and young people in business can benefit significantly. Speaking at the Women Prosperity Dialogue opening panel during the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) 2026 in Accra, she highlighted the importance of equipping more women and young people to participate in trade to deliver shared prosperity.
According to Ghana Web, Ing. Obo-Nai pointed out that many women and young traders still lack a clear understanding of how AfCFTA works and how it can support cross-border trade. She stressed that the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth is crucial in preparing people to benefit from open markets, but awareness remains a significant challenge. Many traders do not yet understand how AfCFTA can support their businesses.
Ing. Obo-Nai urged national governments and key players to address limitations that hinder the full potential of AfCFTA. These include navigating multiple SIM rules, mobile money limits, data regulations, and compliance requirements. She also highlighted the need to prepare the next generation of African producers and innovators, citing initiatives like the Telecel DigiTech Academy and the partnership with the government's One Million Coders Programme, which aims to train 100,000 young people with a goal of at least 70 percent female participation.
Ing. Obo-Nai noted that digital literacy and financial skills have become essential trade tools, especially for women in the informal sector. She highlighted the Telecel Foundation's work in providing digital and financial skills training to women in underserved communities, focusing on the agribusiness value chain. She also encouraged the private sector to design solutions that meet women and young traders where they are, using the example of the Telecel Women in Business proposition.
Policymakers were urged by Ing. Obo-Nai to embed trade, digital, and financial education into national AfCFTA strategies, emphasizing that the inclusion of women and youth should be treated as a core requirement rather than an afterthought. The session followed a special address by Ghana's Vice-President, Her Excellency Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who called for a reevaluation of border management to promote trade, mobility, and shared prosperity.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2026, held at the Accra International Conference Centre, gathered policymakers, business leaders, and development partners to advance practical solutions for empowering SMEs, women, and youth within Africa's emerging single market.