The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) promises to unify the continent’s markets and boost intra-African trade. Alongside this multilateral political momentum, practical efforts are underway to improve the movement of goods across borders. A key example of this is the development of logistics corridors—critical transport routes that serve as arteries connecting ports to major production and consumption centres.
Before being a concept of regional integration, a logistics corridor is, first and foremost, a flow of road, rail, or truck transport that connects a port to an inland market. A corridor typically exists when a major production or consumption centre is located far from the port.
From Matadi to Kinshasa, from Douala to N'Djamena or from Abidjan to Ouagadougou, these axes structure the economic life of millions of people. Some corridors operate within national borders, while others extend across borders. Several corridors play a strategic role on the world stage: at the heart of the energy transition, for example, the Copperbelt corridor ensures the transport of minerals essential to building a low-carbon future.
Although investments in recent years have improved some connections, the overall network remains fragmented mainly due to the dependence on road transport. Administrative and customs procedures are often inefficient and therefore slow down the flow of goods.
The political framework and the reality on the ground
The AfCFTA embodies a strong ambition to unite African economies under a common trade framework, with the ultimate goal of creating a single, integrated market of more than 1.4 billion people. It works to harmonize customs regulations, promote cooperation, and simplify trade formalities across the continent.
According to Christophe de Chanterac, Shipping Deputy Director at AGL, the AfCFTA is a multi-country initiative that not only allows us to reflect on regulatory and customs differences but also draw attention to the physical limitations of logistics chains and in particular the need to build dry ports as well as the development of rail capacity on corridors.
It is precisely at this level that a player like AGL is situated, as an integrated operator capable of acting across the entire logistics chain. "Being an integrated operator allows us to engage with all stakeholders. We talk to exporters and importers, collect their needs, and then work with shipping companies and authorities to meet them," says de Chanterac.
For example, when a customer wants to load goods into containers locally and more quickly—such as in N'Djamena—AGL analyses the obstacles and mobilizes its various businesses. The local teams identify the demand; the shipowners are consulted and then address the infrastructure challenges. Is there a dry port capable of storing containers? Are repair or cleaning services available to get them back on the road? Can we establish digital connections with companies? The same reasoning applies to seaports, whose capacity must ensure continuity with road or rail.
This approach avoids load breaks and guarantees the continuity of good flows to the interior of the continent. It is based on connected platforms, reliable data exchange systems and trained teams.
Adding depth to the chain
Depending on the region, logistics corridors are not evolving at the same pace. Some, such as Douala–N'Djamena or Abidjan–Ouagadougou, benefit from historic infrastructures that are already efficient. Others, such as the Lobito corridor or the new Malian axes, are still trying to reach maturity. However, the logic remains the same everywhere: diversify routes, shorten distances and strengthen the reliability of trade.
Despite progress, many inland capitals remain under-equipped. N'Djamena, Bamako, Kinshasa and Kigali still lack platforms capable of fixing flows and offering services to shipowners, transporters and shippers. This infrastructure would allow domestic markets to no longer be entirely dependent on seaports.
Change requires time, investment and coordination between public and private partners. Africa is following a path already observed elsewhere, for example in China where it took decades to pull the containerized logistics chain to the inland cities.
By connecting ports to domestic markets, investing in infrastructure, and connecting stakeholders, AGL, through the operations of more than 40 logistics corridors on the continent, contributes practically to the AfCFTA’s vision. The free movement of goods is no longer just a vision but a reality that is being built on the ground.