The Africa Trade Engine (ATE), a powerful new joint venture between TRT Manufacturing and TradeDepot, has officially launched, with the aim to transform the vision of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) into an operational reality.
ATE is designed to be the private-sector growth engine for the African continent, establishing a continent-wide manufacturing and logistics ecosystem that aims to end Africa’s reliance on imports and power a new era of job creation and economic self-sufficiency.
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“Built by African hands and powered by African enterprise, ATE transforms trade theory into trade at work. We are proving that Africa can manufacture competitively, distribute efficiently, and grow inclusively,” said Adam Molai, chairman of ATE.
To ensure accountability and transparency, ATE will roll out the Localisation Africa Index. This new benchmark will track and reward brands that commit to localising manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution.
ATE is designed to uplift youth employment and build technical expertise in a continent where the median age is a mere 19.7 years.
Kachi Izukanne, co-founder of TradeDepot and CEO of ATE, said, “Manufacturing at home is a migration policy in action—dignity and employment anchored in local economies.”
“This will serve as a new ESG metric, offering investors and governments a transparent lens into who is truly ‘Made in Africa,” Izukanne said.
ATE’s launch is a practical step that moves the AfCFTA from a policy document to a working industrial and trade architecture, positioning Africa for resilient, sustained growth.
The strength of ATE lies in its fusion of capabilities as TRT Manufacturing provides the industrial expertise which is product formulation, quality assurance, and plant operations, allowing global and African brands to produce in Africa.
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The collaboration unlocks a linked network of regional production hubs, stretching from South Africa to Benin, connected to active distribution points in major markets like Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya.
