Information gathering is not an easy task in Africa. This fundamental observation is hardly debatable: the collection, processing, storage, and exploitation of data are not virtues widely shared across the continent.
Yet AI thrives on data—without it, it holds little value.

The question of AI’s contribution to information retrieval in Africa requires first addressing the structural shortcomings that hinder the establishment of reliable databases. Nevertheless, the stakes and potential benefits of AI in this domain are considerable.

1. Acknowledging the Weakness of Digital Infrastructure

This assessment arises from an analysis of several factors, including but not limited to:

• Limited internet access. In 2023, less than 40% of Africa’s population had access to the Internet, with significant disparities between urban and rural areas.
  • Poor connection quality. Internet connectivity remains a major issue in Africa. In addition to the thorny problem of exorbitant costs, there are issues of low bandwidth, high latency, and the all-too-frequent power outages.
  • The lack of local data centres compels Africa to rely on foreign servers, thereby slowing digital services.
  • Low mobile coverage also deserves mention. While mobile networks are more widespread than fixed-line ones, 4G—and even more so, 5G—remain scarcely deployed.

2. Promising Prospects

Artificial intelligence can increasingly impact information retrieval in Africa, with notable benefits across several key sectors.

This article does not delve into the major role AI already plays in other regions of the world in terms of enhancing research, fostering creativity, or generating wealth. Instead, it focuses on the specific contributions related to data and information that AI is eager to optimise in Africa.

In terms of improving access to information, notable examples include:
• African language processing – AI can play a major role in developing natural language processing tools for local languages (such as Swahili, Wolof, Hausa, and Féé-féé), thereby facilitating information retrieval in languages historically underrepresented online.
• Automatic translation – through systems that make global content accessible in local languages and vice versa.

Given the poor quality of internet connectivity in Africa, AI can enable offline or low-bandwidth access via lightweight systems (edge computing) that allow for information searches even with limited connectivity.

AI’s contribution to the collection and structuring of local data is also notable. AI enables intelligent aggregation of information by supporting the collection, filtering, and organisation of data from disparate sources.
Moreover, AI facilitates information extraction through text mining systems that automatically extract facts, trends, or statistics from unstructured texts.

In the field of academic research support, the value of AI is well established.
• For automated monitoring, researchers can use AI tools to automatically receive the latest relevant publications in their field.
• In bibliometric analysis, AI can help map African scientific research, identify key researchers, collaborations, or thematic gaps.

This brief paper concludes with some concrete areas of application of AI in information retrieval in Africa:
• In agriculture, AI can help farmers access personalised information about crops, diseases, or weather forecasts.
• In education, AI-powered platforms can adapt content to meet the needs of pupils or students, even in rural areas.

AI’s contribution to information retrieval in Africa still has a bright future ahead! 

Jean-Marie TENGANG  

Introduction

Competitive intelligence (CI) refers to all actions aimed at collecting, analyzing, and disseminating strategic information to anticipate changes in the economic environment.
In Africa, a continent undergoing rapid transformation, CI enables economic actors to understand local specificities, identify market opportunities, manage risks, and strengthen their competitiveness. Access to data is the cornerstone of this approach.

Complexity of African Markets

With its 54 countries, Africa offers great economic and geographic diversity. Although some countries like Nigeria, Kenya, or South Africa show sustained growth, challenges such as political instability, weak infrastructure, and lack of transparency hinder development.
The scarcity and uneven quality of data complicate strategic decision-making, highlighting the importance of reliable collection and analysis mechanisms.

Access to Data: A Strategic Issue

Accessible and reliable data are essential to analyze demographics, consumption, and economic trends.
They enable companies to adapt their offerings, effectively target markets, and promote transparency.
Improving access to data also benefits governments in formulating effective public policies.

Sources of Data

Three main categories of data feed CI in Africa:
• Public data: government publications, official statistics, accessible but sometimes outdated or incomplete.
• Private data: from companies or research firms, more precise but often costly and subject to regulatory constraints.
• NGO data: rich in qualitative information on social or local issues but heterogeneous depending on collection methods.

Analysis and Visualization Tools

Tools such as Excel, Power BI, SPSS, or Python enable data processing and trend extraction.
Predictive analysis, data mapping, and interactive visualization facilitate understanding local dynamics. These tools support strategic planning and decision-making.

Major Challenges

Access to data in Africa faces three main challenges:
• Availability: insufficient statistical infrastructure, outdated or incomplete data.
• Quality: lack of standardization, variable reliability.
• Confidentiality: unevenly enforced legislation, need for personal data protection.

Regulation and Harmonization

Several African countries, such as Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, have adopted data protection laws inspired by the European GDPR.
However, the heterogeneity of legal frameworks complicates cross-border data use. Regional harmonization is desirable to foster market integration.

Competitive Intelligence Strategies

Effective CI relies on rigorous data collection, competitor analysis, and market forecasting.
This also involves training local teams, adopting appropriate digital tools, and fostering a culture of strategic monitoring.
Agility and adaptability are essential to cope with the rapid changes in African markets.

Success Stories

Initiatives such as M-Pesa in Kenya (mobile payment) or the use of climate data for agriculture in Côte d’Ivoire illustrate the potential of combining data and innovation.
These projects demonstrate the positive impact of well-utilized data on financial inclusion, productivity, and sustainable development.

Digitalization and Perspectives

Digitalization is profoundly transforming African markets by facilitating information access, the emergence of tech startups, and the creation of new services.
However, inequalities in access persist. A collective effort among states, the private sector, and academic institutions is needed to bridge digital divides, ensure data security, and maximize growth opportunities.

Conclusion

Competitive intelligence, based on expanded access to reliable data, is a strategic lever for the development of African markets.
It helps clarify decisions, attract investments, strengthen economic governance, and support innovation.
To succeed, it is imperative to strengthen data infrastructures, harmonize legal frameworks, and promote a data culture at all levels. 

Emmanuel Taidjaré

A Global Context of Intensifying Competition

Gone are the days when one had to look back to Antiquity or the early modern era to highlight the importance of strategic monitoring and competitive intelligence (CI) in business. Today, the evidence is undeniable: “The global economy has become a battlefield where companies wage relentless and often invisible wars.”

Breaches of technological, financial, and strategic secrets have grown alarmingly frequent, to the point of becoming routine. In response, economic actors must adopt proactive measures to safeguard their information assets and ensure resilience—against both accidental risks and intentional threats.

Competitive Intelligence: A Tool for Foresight and Risk Mitigation

Competitive Intelligence addresses these challenges by enhancing foresight and enabling businesses to anticipate change. It empowers companies to envision multiple future scenarios and prepare accordingly. In a globalized, interconnected, and digitized world—rife with new forms of insecurity and invisible economic warfare—CI has emerged as a critical strategic tool.

CI can be defined as “a coordinated set of activities for the collection, processing, and dissemination of useful information to economic actors for strategic use.” This definition can be extended to position CI as one of the central instruments in economic warfare—a successor to Cold War-era geopolitical conflict in the post-Soviet landscape.

International Approaches to Competitive Intelligence

Over the past two decades, many countries have adopted national CI policies designed to equip businesses, academic institutions, research centres, and civil society organizations with the tools to manage strategic information and boost competitiveness. These policies often involve cross-sector coordination and significant investment in human capital and digital infrastructure.

Competitive Intelligence in Mauritania: State of Play

In Mauritania, CI remains in its infancy. Nevertheless, some promising steps are being taken—particularly at the governmental level. The organizational chart of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) includes the planned creation of a Strategic Advisory and Innovation Unit (USCI), reporting directly to the Minister.

Despite this, Mauritania currently lacks a formal public policy dedicated to CI. Unlike regional peers such as Morocco or Tunisia, the country does not yet have a central agency tasked with coordinating strategic monitoring, protecting national informational assets, or enhancing economic influence. However, several ad hoc initiatives suggest a growing awareness of the issue:

Notable Initiatives

• Partnership with Oxford Business Group (OBG): In 2021, the Mauritanian Investment Promotion Agency (APIM) signed a memorandum of understanding with OBG to produce an annual country report. This report offers sectoral analysis and highlights investment opportunities—contributing to a form of economic intelligence.

• Collaboration with international financial institutions: Reports published by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) provide in-depth economic assessments. While not specifically geared toward CI, these resources offer valuable data for strategic analysis and monitoring.

A Development Framework Cantered on Transparency and Open Data

Mauritania’s Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Shared Prosperity (SCAPP) incorporates performance indicators largely inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A robust public open data policy would complement this strategy by facilitating the collection, centralization, and use of key strategic information.

Such an approach would also enhance collaboration with civil society organizations, which play a critical role in tracking SDG implementation and promoting accountability.

Commitments to Transparency

• Adoption of a national anti-corruption strategy (December 2010);

• Accession to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (October 2006);

• Participation in international transparency mechanisms, including:

  • The BOOST program (Open Budget Initiative),

  • The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI),

  • The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), launched in Nouakchott in February 2016;

• Hosting of the African Union Conference on Transparency in 2015, which concluded with a resolution urging member states to ensure public access to information and strengthen accountability mechanisms.

Challenges to Address

Despite these encouraging developments, Mauritania faces several key obstacles in advancing its CI capabilities:

• Lack of inter-institutional coordination: Weak synergy among public and private stakeholders limits the effectiveness of strategic monitoring and analysis efforts.

• Limited CI awareness and culture: Many businesses—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—lack the expertise and tools necessary for implementing competitive or technological intelligence.

• Insufficient digital infrastructure: Effective CI systems rely on robust ICT infrastructure, which remains underdeveloped in many parts of the country.

Looking Ahead: What Are the Prospects?

To overcome these challenges, Mauritania could adopt a proactive and structured approach inspired by international best practices:

• Develop a national competitive intelligence strategy: This would entail establishing a dedicated CI agency or coordination unit, investing in professional training, and fostering collaboration between public institutions and the private sector.

• Build the capacity of local businesses: Awareness campaigns, technical assistance, and targeted training programs would help embed CI practices into business operations and decision-making.

Conclusion

Competitive intelligence in Mauritania is still in its foundational phase. While some institutional and international partnerships provide indirect support for its implementation, a coherent and comprehensive national strategy is urgently needed.

Establishing clear policies, building institutional capacity, and upgrading digital infrastructure will be essential to position CI as a true engine of competitiveness and economic sovereignty for Mauritania in the years ahead. 

Dr Abdellahi Sabah Erebih

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in 2021, is one of the most ambitious economic integration efforts globally, uniting 54 African countries under a single market of 1.4 billion people. It’s potential to boost intra-African trade, foster industrialization, and drive inclusive economic growth is immense. However, to fully harness this potential—particularly in a rapidly evolving global landscape shaped by artificial intelligence (AI)—African firms, governments, and institutions must strategically leverage Competitive Intelligence (CI) to enhance competitiveness at all levels.

Understanding Competitive Intelligence in the AfCFTA Context

Competitive Intelligence is the process of collecting, analyzing, and utilizing information about competitors, market dynamics, and internal capabilities to make informed strategic decisions. In the context of AfCFTA, CI becomes a vital tool for navigating newly liberalized markets, identifying cross-border opportunities, anticipating policy changes, and managing risks.

CI systems in the AI era are no longer confined to manual market research or static data. They increasingly rely on machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, and big data analytics to provide real-time insights. African enterprises can use AI-driven CI platforms to monitor trade flows, analyze competitor strategies, track customer preferences, and evaluate regulatory trends across member states.

Linking CI to Competitiveness

Competitiveness refers to the ability of a firm, industry, or economy to offer products and services that meet international standards while maintaining or expanding market share. For African countries under the AfCFTA, competitiveness hinges on two major pillars: strategic positioning and operational efficiency, both of which can be strengthened through robust CI systems.

Strategic Positioning

CI enables firms to make strategic decisions such as:

• Choosing the right markets to enter under AfCFTA’s tariff-free regimes.
• Differentiating products based on regional consumer preferences.
• Positioning supply chains to minimize costs and increase responsiveness.

Informed by CI, businesses can anticipate shifts in trade policy, consumer demand, or emerging technologies, allowing them to act rather than react.

Operational Decision-Making

At the operational level, CI contributes to:

• Optimizing pricing strategies based on real-time market data.
• Aligning production with seasonal and geographic demand patterns.
• Identifying skill gaps and guiding workforce development.

Incorporating AI tools like predictive analytics and robotic process automation (RPA) further enhances the agility and precision of these decisions, giving African firms a competitive edge.

Governments and Institutions

While firms are the primary users of CI, governments and trade institutions must facilitate its adoption by:

• Investing in digital infrastructure and open data platforms.
• Supporting CI training and capacity-building programs.
• Fostering partnerships with universities and AI research hubs.
• Ensuring regulatory frameworks support ethical and secure data use.

Moreover, regional bodies like the African Union and AfCFTA Secretariat should encourage the development of continent-wide CI networks that help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) overcome barriers to market intelligence access.

CI in the Age of AI: A Catalyst for Sustainable Growth

The integration of AI into CI is a game-changer. Tools like sentiment analysis, geospatial intelligence, and automated supply chain monitoring provide African enterprises with unprecedented capabilities to compete globally. Importantly, this also opens the door for inclusive growth—as digital CI platforms become more accessible, even micro-enterprises can compete effectively in AfCFTA’s single market.

Furthermore, AI-powered CI supports sustainable development by:

• Identifying green growth opportunities and ESG-compliant markets.
• Tracking environmental impacts across value chains.
• Supporting policy innovation through advanced modeling and simulation.

Key Benefits of Competitive Intelligence for AfCFTA Participants

• Market Entry and Expansion
• Understanding Competitor Strategies
• Risk Mitigation
• Government Policy and Investment
• Strategic Alliances and Partnerships

Challenges to Effective Competitive Intelligence in the AfCFTA

• Lack of robust data infrastructure across the continent
• Lack of CI expertise.

Conclusion

The AfCFTA represents a transformative opportunity for Africa’s economic future. But realizing its full potential in the AI era requires more than policy alignment and infrastructure—it demands intelligence. Competitive Intelligence, augmented by artificial intelligence, is the strategic asset that will distinguish the leaders from the laggards in this new continental economy. By embedding CI into both strategic and operational layers of decision-making, and ensuring its diffusion across firms and institutions, African nations can create a more competitive, resilient, and inclusive economy. This is not only a path to growth—it is the foundation for sustainable prosperity in a connected, data-driven world. 

As the world shifts into a multipolar era, marked by economic warfare (Varène, 2020) and now further intensified by the return of Donald Trump to the White House, Africa finds itself at a critical crossroads. The upcoming book The Emergencies of African Competitive Intelligence, set for release in September 2025, offers a frank diagnosis and proposes bold, disruptive solutions to confront this reality through an asymmetric strategy — one that equips the weak to challenge the strong.

Africa, often praised for its human potential and abundant natural resources, has long remained vulnerable to external dynamics. According to the African Centre for Competitive Intelligence (ACCI), the continent can no longer afford to play the role of bystander or battleground for global rivalries. The pursuit of sovereignty, autonomy, protection of vital interests, sound governance, sustainable development, and enhanced competitiveness demands a profound paradigm shift: the rise and consolidation of a distinctly African approach to competitive intelligence — developed by Africans, for the benefit of a confident and competitive Africa.

The ACCI defines competitive intelligence as “a mindset, a structure, and a coordinated process of questioning, collecting, processing, analysing and legally disseminating economic intelligence that is useful for decision-making in competitive, uncertain or hostile environments” (Gweth, 2015). For Africa, this approach is crucial — not merely as a response to threats, but as a means of building a forward-looking capacity to anticipate global trends, identify opportunities, and shape its own strategic environment.

Since its founding in 2015, the ACCI has continuously emphasised that Africa’s approach to competitive intelligence cannot be a copy of Western or Asian models. It must be built on the continent’s specific realities: its complex history, unique development challenges, cultural richness, ambitions for stronger regional integration, and its vision for a more balanced multilateralism, as articulated in the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

There are many pressing priorities. Africa must secure its supply chains against global shocks, as highlighted by the WTO’s 2023 World Trade Report. It must stem the tide of illicit financial flows that undermine its economies, a challenge identified in the UN Economic Commission for Africa’s 2020 report. Managing the transfer of technology while fostering homegrown innovation is essential, as the African Development Bank pointed out in 2024. The continent must also protect its highly sought-after natural resources, a concern underscored by the UN Environment Programme in 2022. At the same time, it must build a reputation on the global stage that reflects its true potential, as recent studies by Brand Africa suggest.

The prospect of building a strong African competitive intelligence framework relies on several key dimensions. First is the development of home-grown human and institutional capacity, through the training of experts who embrace their African identity, and the establishment of specialised structures. Ndongo Samba Sylla (2014) has notably called for Africa to develop its own expertise in response to economic dependency.

Next comes the need to build Pan-African cooperation networks and secure information-sharing platforms — a strategic objective that aligns with the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. Equally important is the integration of augmented competitive intelligence into decision-making processes at all levels of governance. The OECD has stressed the importance of embedding security considerations into economic policy since 2018. Finally, Africa must mobilise its private sector and civil society to collectively take ownership of economic security, a perspective long championed by the ACCI through its call for a holistic, inclusive approach.

Rich in documentation, case studies and practical insights, the forthcoming publication The Emergencies of African Competitive Intelligence (September 2025) sets out to demonstrate that by rising to meet these challenges, Africa can transcend its current position and emerge as a vital, influential player in the global competitive and strategic intelligence landscape.

This is not only a strategic imperative — it is a pressing necessity, if the continent is to secure its sovereignty, development, and long-term prosperity in an age increasingly shaped by economic conflict.

Guy Gweth  

Africa is currently undergoing a critical phase in its history and is facing a triple structural impasse: persistent structural and institutional fragmentation, chronic technological dependence, and heightened vulnerability to global geopolitical dynamics.

Unlike the historical trajectories of industrialised nations, Africa’s growth has not been accompanied by the strengthening of internal productive capacities. Structural transformation remains a promise unfulfilled, blocked by a lack of industrialisation, poor coordination of production policies, and weak support institutions (research, innovation, and finance). The continent is now seeking a path to economic, technological, and strategic emancipation.[1]

Rather than reflecting a classical process of industrialisation, Africa’s current trajectory appears to be marked by a blockage in productive transformation, which significantly hinders the creation of economic synergies. Practical experience reveals that the inadequacy of African statistics and the absence of structured information management frameworks prevent any kind of economic planning based on reliable data.

The political ambition behind Agenda 2063[2], which aims to “transform Africa into a global powerhouse of the future,” has not yet been translated into a coherent and systematic institutional approach to shared and inclusive development.

Africa at a Crossroads

Africa’s industrial landscape is marked by low density and extreme heterogeneity. Productive institutions — universities, research centres, development banks, innovation agencies — often operate in silos, disconnected from coordinated ecosystems and integrated value chains. This lack of coordination blocks the upgrading and scaling of African productive systems.

1. Information Deficiency and Lack of Strategic Steering

The absence of reliable, coherent, and up-to-date economic information systems — both at national and continental levels — is a major limiting factor. This structural statistical deficiency, often highlighted by the UN Economic Commission for Africa, undermines Africa’s ability to plan, anticipate, and mobilise strategically. In the absence of solid data, industrial policy remains largely reactive and short-term in nature, with little potential for coherence or harmonisation.

This vision of a sovereign and prosperous Africa, supported by a renewed model of competitive intelligence, stems from the deep aspirations of African peoples to take control of their own destinies and unlock the value of their unique resources[3]. Enhanced with digital tools and rooted in local contexts, this intelligence could become a foundation for industrial and geopolitical sovereignty. The challenge is no longer about catching up but inventing a new paradigm of industrial and technological development[4] — one grounded in actionable data and meaningful information.

Africa must now design an alternative model of industrial and technological development, based on the strategic exploitation of high-value information. This model should be based on enhanced information governance — one that can guide production choices, strengthen endogenous innovation capabilities, and support a durable form of technological sovereignty.

2. Moving Beyond the “Endless Catch-Up” Model

In this context, competitive intelligence — understood as the capacity to collect, analyse, and leverage strategic information to guide public and private action — must be reimagined as a true lever of industrial sovereignty[5]. In Africa, CI is still too often confined to a defensive function (competitive monitoring, asset protection). Yet, when combined with digital tools, territorial data exploitation, and proactive governance, it can become a central pillar of a self-driven, resilient development model.

This shift in perspective requires:

• The establishment of national competitive intelligence agencies connected to local territories;

• The integration of informal data into official statistical frameworks;

• And the alignment of training, financing, and innovation strategies with industrial priorities defined at the territorial level.

Africa must not settle for an endless catch-up model based on Western or Asian trajectories. In the face of climate challenges, digital transformation, and the pursuit of technological sovereignty, it has a historic opportunity to invent a unique productive paradigm rooted in its own social and ecological realities. This post-catch-up model does not rely solely on heavy industry, but rather on frugal innovation, smart valorisation of local resources, and even a hybrid approach that bridges the formal and informal economies.

From Extractive Industry to Embedded Industry: Rethinking Africa’s Productive Model

Africa remains on the margins of the Fourth Industrial Revolution[6]. Special Economic Zones, often designed to attract foreign capital, contribute to a form of outward-facing industrialisation that generates little sovereignty[7]. Here, competitive intelligence can serve as a tool for strategic redirection — identifying technological niches that align with local resources and supporting the emergence of “embedded” industries that are knowledge-intensive and high in added value[8].

The goal is to shift rapidly from raw material exportation to locally anchored technology value chains — particularly in agro-industry, renewable energy, biotechnology, and digital technology. This kind of “contextual industrialisation” requires a blend of self-awareness, research, sovereign financing, and active economic diplomacy. Clearly, “Africa cannot build its future without the mobilisation of key actors and the activation of territorial resources”[9].

Augmented CI: Making Oneself Visible

Traditional CI models focus on the collection, analysis, and securing of strategic information[10]. But in an African context, marked by asymmetries in informational power, it is essential to evolve toward augmented CI[11] — one that integrates AI, big data, real-time sensors (IoT), indigenous knowledge systems, and weak signals from social dynamics[12]. This hybrid model allows for a more nuanced mapping of industrial vulnerabilities, critical dependencies (especially in strategic raw materials), and latent reserves of industrial sovereignty[13].

The question is not so much about monitoring others, but about making ourselves visible to ourselves. Too often, African states operate blindly within value chains they do not control. A Pan-African CI system — based on the sharing of industrial data and local innovation — could serve as the foundation for a cognitive sovereignty essential to any serious industrial strategy. Such initiatives are in line with emerging work on territorial innovation systems and the need to build collective cognitive capacities for sustainable, endogenous development[14].

Towards Geo-Economic Sovereignty through Strategic Control of Flows

The prevailing model of geopolitical power now rests as much on the control of flows — of data, materials, capital, and knowledge — as it does on control of territory. Africa, long viewed as a continent to be crossed or exploited, must now become a structuring force in global power dynamics by developing a continental-scale strategy of augmented competitive intelligence.

Undoubtedly, “the competitiveness of a territory is directly influenced by the ability of local actors to generate, access, understand and transform knowledge and information through interactive learning.”[15] This process can be significantly amplified by augmented CI — combining big data, AI, and collaborative systems — to identify, analyse, and strategically exploit industrial, technological, and social development opportunities across the continent.

Such a strategy should aim to strengthen Africa’s collective negotiation and influence capacity through control of logistics corridors, digital infrastructures (such as sovereign cloud systems and a pan-African 5G network), and ownership of technological patents developed by African companies and researchers — including those from the diaspora.

Augmented CI would enable African nations to anticipate influence operations, negotiate on equal terms with industrial powers, and form strategic alliances based on mutual interest — far beyond extractive or predatory logics.

Conclusion: African Sovereignty through Augmented Competitive Intelligence

Africa does not need to copy the industrial trajectories of other continents. It can — and must — define a new relationship to power based on enhanced intelligence: harnessing its human capital and territories, networking its knowledge systems, and reclaiming sovereignty over information, knowledge, and technology. Such ambition demands a decisive break from the legacy of dependency and a bold embrace of a geo-economic stance — one powered by augmented competitive intelligence, no longer a support function, but the driving engine of development strategy. It is time for Africa to assert itself as a geo-economic power, with augmented CI at the heart of a pan-African industrial and technological strategy.

Dr Mohamed Bacha 

[1] African Development Bank: African Development Report 2015 – Growth, Poverty and Inequality: Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Development. Abidjan, 2016.

[2] https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview

[3] Claude Ake. A Political Economy of Africa. New York: Longman Inc. 1981.

[4] Joseph E. Stiglitz, Andrew Charlton : Pour un commerce mondial plus juste : comment le commerce peut promouvoir le développement – Fayard (2^e édition), [Paris], France, 2007 [traduit de l’anglais (américain) par Paul Chemla]

[5] Matthew Harrison Harvey et alii. : Promouvoir la transformation numérique des économies africaines ‘ Document d’analyse et de méthodologie – Global System for Mobile Communications ((GSMA) – London – Mai 2024

[6] Carlos Lopes : Africa in Transformation : Economic Development in the Age of Doubt – Palgrave Macmillan; 2019

[7] Hasina N.E : Quatrième révolution industrielle : l’Afrique doit refaire son retard technologique – .03/06/2024 –                                      in https://www.capmad.com/fr/technologie-fr/quatrieme-revolution-industrielle-lafrique-doit-refaire-son-retard.

[8] Mathias Guérineau: From Models of Innovation Diffusion and Transfer to Deployment – A New Conceptualisation of the Downstream Phase of Innovation Processes in Multinational Firms – Doctoral Thesis, University of Paris-Saclay – December 2017.

[9] Lamara Hadjou: The Two Pillars of Territorial Development – Coordination of Actors and Territorial Resources
Revue Développement durable et territoires. Économie, géographie, politique, droit, sociologie
Publisher: Réseau « Développement durable et territoires », 7 July 2009.

[10] Intelligence économique et stratégique : Les systèmes d’information au cœur de la démarche – Cigref – 2003

[11] Hafsa EZ-ZYN et alii. : Le potentiel et les limites de l’intelligence économique et stratégique à l’ère du big data et de l’IA – IJAFAME – Volume 4, Issue 2-2 (2023)

[12] Digital Economy Report 2024: Shaping an environmentally sustainable and inclusive digital future – United Nations. Economic Commission for Africa – 2024

[13] Offo Élisée Kadio, « De l’IA et de la science des données pour aider à transformer l’Afrique », Communication, technologies et développement [En ligne], 15 | 2024, mis en ligne le 29 juin 2024, consulté le 09 mai 2025.

[14] Rodrigo Arocena & Judith Sutz. : Looking At National Systems of Innovation from the South, Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1) – 2000, pages 55-75.

[15] Abdelkader Djeflat : Les systèmes territoriaux d’innovation émergents (STIE) et la gouvernance: Examen des expériences européennes (Italie) et Maghrébines (Algérie, Tunisie, Maroc) – Revue de Recherche sur l’Economie de la Firme, I’Industrie et le Territoire, Université d’Oran, Labo LARATED, pp. 71-92   

According to the WTO, the concept of market access for goods refers to the conditions, including tariff and non-tariff measures, under which specific products are admitted into the markets of states[1]. In this article, we will attempt to outline a conception of market access adapted to the current evolution of the multilateral trading system and analyse the role that competitive intelligence can play in this context, especially as it relates to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Definition and Stakes

In broader terms, the WTO’s definition could also apply to services and service providers, as well as investors and their investments. Market access would then encompass all tariff and non-tariff barriers (including regulations and procedures) that determine a company’s ability to tap into the opportunities of a given market — whether national or international — to sell goods and services or to invest for production and distribution.

From this perspective, two types of market access can be distinguished: preferential and non-preferential access. Non-preferential access implies that businesses, goods, services, and service providers do not benefit from any particular preferences (such as tariff exemptions or relaxed regulatory obligations) to enter a given market. In such cases, market access is governed by the general rule of law, which can be either liberal or restrictive but must be applied to all partners on a non-discriminatory basis.

Preferential access, on the other hand, is governed by specific rules established in a preferential agreement. It is characterised by less stringent conditions than those imposed by general law and only applies to goods, services, service providers, investors, and their investments originating from states that are party to the trade agreement. For companies, this distinction is essential as it can significantly affect the competitiveness of their products and services in the target market.

Mattoo, Rocha, & Ruta (2020) define deep trade agreements as reciprocal arrangements between countries that go beyond trade in goods and also cover broader policy areas. These agreements aim to regulate three overlapping areas: (a) policies that establish the five economic integration rights, (b) policies that support those rights by limiting government discretion, and (c) policies that promote social or consumer welfare by regulating exporter behaviour. This conceptual evolution calls for a broader consideration of the contribution of competitive intelligence to the analysis and development of market access strategies.

Whether in a preferential or non-preferential context, the theoretical debate around market access revolves around liberalism and protectionism. Without delving into the details of these schools of thought, it suffices to note that our conception of market access is rooted in the notion of deep trade agreements — a form of regional trade agreement (RTA) that has evolved since the WTO’s creation. In fact, the number of RTAs in force globally has increased significantly, from 47 in 1995 to 374 in 2024. Beyond the numerical growth of these agreements, their scope has also deepened. While in the 1950s RTAs covered around eight policy areas on average, they now cover about 17.

Despite the global reduction of tariff barriers, analyses show that non-tariff barriers (NTBs) have become the main obstacles to market access — for both goods and services. For example, WTO[2] data indicates that as of 31 December 2021, there were 22,065 sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures in place covering 329 specific trade concerns, 32,478 technical barriers to trade (TBTs) related to 715 issues, and numerous trade defence measures: 2,443 anti-dumping measures, 316 countervailing duties, and 121 safeguard measures. In agriculture, there were 652 special safeguard measures, 1,274 tariff quota measures, 429 export subsidy measures, and 1,636 quantitative restrictions.

In this context, the collection, analysis, and strategic use of information to support business and government decision-making in market entry and exploitation should reflect both the expanding scope of deep trade agreements and the changing nature of market access barriers. In other words, the core pillars of competitive intelligence applied to market access must be redefined accordingly. This adaptation is particularly urgent in Africa, where information asymmetries in business and decision-making spheres — combined with high levels of informality — hinder the capacity of actors to innovate, gain market share, and contribute fully to national prosperity and public welfare.

Competitive Intelligence, Market Access and the AfCFTA

The AfCFTA agreement is a complex legal instrument. Beyond the framework agreement establishing the AfCFTA, it includes eight approved protocols and 41 annexes and regulations. Each annex governs at least one trade or economic policy instrument with the aim of promoting intra-African trade, industrialisation, and economic diversification.

The structure of the AfCFTA agreement includes:

• The Protocol on Trade in Goods, which comprises nine annexes covering tariff concession schedules, rules of origin, customs cooperation, trade facilitation, elimination of non-tariff barriers (NTBs), technical barriers to trade (TBTs), sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, trade remedies, and transit procedures.
• The Protocol on Trade in Services, which includes six annexes covering schedules of specific commitments, most-favoured-nation (MFN) exemptions, air transport services related to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), the transitional work programme, priority sectors, and the regulatory cooperation framework.
• The Protocol on Rules and Procedures for Dispute Settlement, comprising three annexes dealing with deliberation procedures, expert review, and the code of conduct for arbitrators and panel members.
• The Protocol on Investment, which includes two annexes on the Pan-African Trade and Investment Agency and dispute resolution.
• The Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights, which includes nine annexes covering plant variety protection, geographical indications, trademarks, copyright and related rights, patents, utility models, industrial designs, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, and genetic resources, as well as the AfCFTA Intellectual Property Office.
• The Protocol on Competition Policy, comprising four annexes, including those on merger thresholds, the powers and procedures of the Authority, the composition and operation of the Tribunal, and the revised regulation on the creation of the AfCFTA Competition Network.
• The Protocol on Women and Youth, which currently does not have annexes at this stage.
• The Protocol on Digital Trade, which includes eight annexes on digital identities, legitimate public interest justifications for source code disclosure, online security and safety, emerging and advanced technologies, cross-border data flows, cross-border digital payments, fintech, and digital rules of origin.

Given the complexity of this instrument, competitive intelligence must play a crucial role in helping companies and policymakers better understand the competitive landscape across all these areas and anticipate economic trends. This role includes securing access to strategic data (factor endowments, investment opportunities, regulations and procedures, market trends, consumer behaviour and preferences), reducing information asymmetries, identifying opportunities, protecting against risks, and enabling influence and strategic positioning — including the identification of key actors and the shaping of their decisions.

Dr. Jacob Kotcho

[1] https://www.wto.org/french/tratop_f/markacc_f/markacc_f.htm#:~:text=Le%20concept%20d’acc%C3%A8s%20aux,produits%20sp%C3%A9cifiques%20sur%20leurs%20march%C3%A9s.

[2] See I-TIP Goods: Integrated analysis and retrieval of notified non-tariff measures, https://i-tip.wto.org/goods/Default.aspx   

In Africa, competitive intelligence is becoming increasingly central to public policy. As territories face challenges in competitiveness, attractiveness, and resilience amid geopolitical, economic, and technological shifts, access to strategic information becomes a major asset. While several African countries have begun initiatives in this direction, these efforts often remain concentrated in capital cities, with little real territorial anchoring. Yet it is at the local level that many economic, social, and security dynamics unfold.

In Togo, this territorial approach to competitive intelligence fits perfectly within the ambitions of the 2020–2025 government roadmap, which aims to modernise the economy, strengthen social inclusion, and position the country as a logistics and service hub of reference in the subregion. In this context, the development of territorial competitive intelligence is a cross-cutting lever that can support several key roadmap projects, particularly those related to agricultural transformation, industrial zones, digitalisation of public administration, and investment attractiveness.

Decentralisation: A Foundation to Strengthen for Territorial Competitive Intelligence

In Togo, the decentralisation process, now moving beyond its pilot phase with the April 2024 regional elections and the upcoming June 2025 municipal elections, presents a real opportunity to strengthen the autonomy of local authorities and their ability to manage their own development. Since the 2019 elections, municipalities have been called upon to play a leading role in local economic planning. By equipping them with skills in data collection, strategic analysis, competitive monitoring, and information security, each municipality can better understand its strengths, identify opportunities, anticipate risks, and engage on equal footing with investors. This requires investment in training for elected officials and technical teams, along with methodological support tailored to local realities.

Territorial Promotion: A Prerequisite for Local Influence

One of the pillars of territorial competitive intelligence is the active promotion of each region’s specific resources. Whether it’s the agricultural potential of the Savanna region, port infrastructure in the Maritime region and Lomé, craft industries in Kara and Centrale, or ecological tourism in the Plateaux, each Togolese region holds cards to play in building its own attractiveness.

To this end, local authorities must learn to structure a clear, credible, and accessible territorial offer, based on reliable data and effective communication. Economic forums, decentralised cooperation partnerships, local digital platforms, and territorial marketing campaigns can all play a structuring role in this effort.

ACCI as a Continental Catalyst

In this effort, the African Centre for Competitive Intelligence (ACCI) can play a fundamental role. As a leading pan-African institution, ACCI possesses valuable expertise to support states and local governments in implementing competitive intelligence frameworks tailored to their specific challenges.

This support could include establishing local monitoring units, training municipal staff, securing strategic information, and connecting Togolese territories with other African localities that are more advanced in this field. A partnership between Togolese institutions and ACCI would thus provide a strong foundation for a coherent national approach, while benefiting from best practices at the continental level.

Linking Investment and Local Economic Transformation

Another essential aspect of territorial competitive intelligence is investment. To attract capital, local governments must anticipate investor needs, provide smooth and reliable support, and demonstrate the relevance of their projects. Competitive intelligence offers the tools to gather, structure, and leverage this strategic information.

Mechanisms such as local investor support desks, territorial diagnostics, local economic databases, and public-private partnerships can be further enhanced. This aligns perfectly with the national roadmap, which seeks, among other objectives, to stimulate employment — especially among young people — through targeted investment in high-potential sectors.

Strategic Alignment with the 2020–2025 Government Roadmap

Territorial competitive intelligence is not separate from national planning; it is its local operational extension. In this regard, it directly contributes to the government’s vision of a stable, modern, and attractive Togo, where territories drive growth and inclusion. Flagship roadmap projects — such as the establishment of agropoles, industrial zones, the Lomé-Cinkassé logistics corridor, and the development of the digital economy — would gain in effectiveness if backed by local capacity for information gathering, local priority setting, and a well-structured economic offer. Territorial competitive intelligence thus becomes a true catalyst for the success of these projects.

Conclusion

Togo now has the foundations to build a genuinely African model of territorial competitive intelligence — ambitious, relevant, and aligned with its national goals. By leveraging the gains of decentralisation, investing in local capacity-building, promoting regional assets, and partnering with technical institutions like ACCI, the country can shape a model that inspires the rest of Africa.

Such an approach would strengthen Togo’s economic sovereignty, create tangible opportunities for its people, and better integrate its regions into broader regional and global transformation dynamics.

Dr. Zack Bawa 

As of 2023, Africa accounted for just 2% of global manufacturing value added (MVA) — a decline from 3% in 1970. This reflects a relative deindustrialisation of the continent, despite rapid demographic growth and urbanisation. Africa’s modest industrial performance is striking given its abundant natural resources and significant potential to attract investment.

Industrialisation is critical to driving economic growth, creating jobs, and strengthening the autonomy of African nations. However, the path to industrial transformation is obstructed by several persistent challenges: weak political vision, political instability, small domestic markets, limited access to finance, and underdeveloped human capital. Added to this are structural barriers such as poor infrastructure, high production costs, and limited integration into global value chains — with many African countries still exporting raw, unprocessed materials.

Initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) were launched to address these barriers by boosting intra-African trade and attracting investment. Complementary measures at the regional level have also emerged, including efforts to improve infrastructure, build human capital, and increase access to finance — all aimed at increasing Africa’s share of global industrial output.

These efforts are aligned with Agenda 2063, the African Union’s long-term development vision, which sets an ambitious target: raise intra-African trade to 50% and grow Africa’s share in global trade from 2% to 12% by 2045 — thereby enabling the rise of globally competitive African enterprises across sectors.

But investment alone is not enough. Real transformation requires a mastery of information — and that’s where competitive intelligence (CI) plays a crucial role. Strategic information management is essential to guide decision-making, protect industrial assets, and position African countries within a rapidly evolving and highly competitive global economy.

In this context, competitive intelligence becomes a key strategic tool to support and safeguard the continent’s industrialisation journey across three core pillars:

• Influence as a Lever for Sovereignty

Across Africa, calls for sovereignty are growing louder. They reflect a shared desire among African populations to take ownership of their future. Competitive intelligence enables African countries to shape global trade rules, advocate for favourable agreements, and assert their interests in international forums. To do so effectively, African states must coordinate and speak with one voice.

• Monitoring to Drive Industrial Development

Through technological, market, and regulatory monitoring, African governments can identify high-potential sectors — such as agribusiness, textiles, or renewable energy — and tailor their industrial policies accordingly. Monitoring also helps anticipate geopolitical, environmental, and economic shifts. For Africa to industrialise successfully, building this strategic foresight capacity is essential.

• Protection of Local Resources and Innovation

In a world of fierce economic competition, protecting strategic assets is vital. Africa must take firm steps to prevent the exploitation of its natural resources, strengthen intellectual property protections for local innovation, safeguard industrial secrets, and bolster cybersecurity across critical sectors.

To make competitive intelligence a genuine driver of industrialisation, Africa must foster a culture of strategic monitoring, build stable and coordinated governance frameworks, strengthen institutional and human capacity, promote data-driven industrial planning, and deepen regional cooperation.

Competitive intelligence offers a unique opportunity to support Africa’s industrial ambitions in a strategic, resilient, and sustainable manner. It provides the tools to shape industrial choices, defend national interests, and boost Africa’s global influence. But for CI to reach its full potential, challenges around governance, training, and information access must be addressed head-on.

As Africa seeks to build inclusive and sovereign growth, integrating competitive intelligence into its industrial strategies is not just desirable — it is essential. 

Dr Lansana Gagny Sakho