AFRICA – The Government of Sweden has launched the Swedish Initiative for Facilitating Trade in Africa (SWIFT), a four-year, US$9.3 million (SEK 100 million) program designed to address long-standing logistics and policy barriers hindering intra-African trade.
The initiative will focus on the Berbera and Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) in East Africa and the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor in West Africa, aiming to enhance trade flow and regional integration.
SWIFT will be implemented by TradeMark Africa in partnership with the private sector, regional institutions such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and national government agencies responsible for trade.
SWIFT will invest in the digitalisation of customs systems, inter-agency connectivity upgrades among West African trading partners, and modernisation of select transport infrastructure.
Plans also include upgrading border facilities and establishing a donor coordination round table to align investments and reduce duplication of efforts, ensuring resources are channelled where they are most needed.
The program will address challenges faced by informal traders, particularly women and youth, by investing in training, constructing safe and secure waiting spaces for women, and improving infrastructure such as pedestrian lanes with rain protection and access to electricity at border posts.
By 2028, SWIFT targets halving cargo clearance times at key border crossings in participating countries, increasing exports by 20%, and enabling a 10–20% rise in formalised trade by women and youth.
It also seeks to generate precise evidence on women’s participation along the targeted trade corridors to design more inclusive trade policies.
“The SWIFT program reflects our shared ambition to fast-track Africa’s trade future,” said David Beer, Chief Executive Officer of TradeMark Africa.
“Through collaborative partnerships and bold innovation, SWIFT will build efficient, future-ready trade systems that drive growth and inclusion.”
Speaking on behalf of Sweden, Joachim Beijmo, Head of Regional Development Cooperation in Africa, said SWIFT demonstrates Sweden’s commitment to supporting trade as a driver of development.
“By investing in the digital and physical infrastructure that connects people and markets, we are helping unlock the full potential of African entrepreneurship and regional integration,” he said.
TradeMark Africa is a non-profit organisation established in 2010 to grow prosperity in Africa through increased trade. Its programmes span infrastructure development, digital trade solutions, and policy support initiatives across East, Southern, and West Africa.