Only 13% of Africans have heard of AfCFTA as support for free trade surges to 62% – Afrobarometer

A new Afrobarometer report has revealed a striking paradox in African public opinion: while support for free trade is growing across the continent, awareness of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) - the flagship agreement designed to boost intra-African commerce - remains remarkably low.

The 2026 African Insights report is the third in Afrobarometer's annual flagship series, examining citizen attitudes on trade, migration, great-power competition, global voice, and climate change across the continent."They will need to invest in targeted public education and domestic communication strategies that clearly explain how intra-African trade serves as a stepping stone to broader global economic competitiveness - or risk pursuing a landmark agreement without the public mandate needed to sustain it."