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School of Business Studies · 3 Months · Online

Certificate in African Continental Trade and Commerce

Designed specifically for small business owners, market traders, logistics operators, and entrepreneurs who want to trade across African borders under the AfCFTA framework.

Duration

3 Months

Workload

6–8 hrs/week

Mode

100% Online

Credential

Certificate

Intake

Monthly

The Graduation Deliverable
A completed African Market Entry Plan for your business or product, including target country analysis, trade route documentation, customs requirement checklist, and a preliminary supply chain map. This plan is assessed by a panel including a trade practitioner before your certificate is issued.

What You Will Learn

  • What AfCFTA is, how it works, and what it means for a small business owner in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, or Rwanda.
  • How to navigate customs procedures, tariff classifications, and documentation for cross-border trade within Africa.
  • How ECOWAS movement and trade protocols affect the practical realities of moving goods across West African borders.
  • How to access trade financing for African cross-border commerce, including export credit guarantees and trade finance products.
  • How to build a supply chain across two or more African countries using formal channels, regional logistics providers, and digital trade platforms.

Programme Modules

# Module Weeks
1AfCFTA Framework: What It Is and How It Works1–2
2Customs Procedures and Tariff Classification3–4
3ECOWAS Protocols and West African Trade Realities5–6
4Trade Finance for African SMEs7–8
5Building Cross-Border Supply Chains9–10
6Digital Trade Platforms and Export Documentation11
7African Market Entry Plan - Final Project12

Weekly checkpoints feed into your African Market Entry Plan graduation deliverable.


Entry Requirements

Route A - Academic: Minimum of five WASCE/O-Level passes including English. No prior business or trade qualification required.

Route B - Experiential: Active involvement in trading, logistics, importing, exporting, or small business operations for a minimum of two years. No formal academic qualifications required.

Route C - Professional Transfer: Any certificate or diploma holder from a recognised institution. Direct entry based on prior qualification.


Career and Business Outcomes

Graduates of this programme operate cross-border trading businesses with documented compliance, apply for export credit and trade financing with confidence, navigate customs and tariff processes independently, and build multi-country supply chains using formal logistics channels. Many graduates launch new African trade routes or formalise existing informal trading operations within six months of graduation.

Assessment Framework

Weekly trade journal entries: 20%

Module assignments (×6): 40%

Peer review participation: 10%

African Market Entry Plan: 30%

Pass mark: 50%. Market Entry Plan assessed by a trade practitioner panel before certificate is issued.

Programme Quick Facts

Duration: 3 Months (12 Weeks)

Workload: 6–8 hours per week

Modules: 6 + Final Project

Live Sessions: Fortnightly Zoom

Community: WhatsApp Group

School: Business, Trade and Entrepreneurship

Accreditation, regulatory status and certification-partner details for this programme are subject to confirmation by the Institute.

Recommended Starting Point

Not yet ready for the full Certificate? Start with the Spark Certificate in AfCFTA Trade Essentials - a focused introduction that feeds directly into this programme.

Ready to Trade Across African Borders?

Rolling intake. Start any month. Study around your business commitments.