Cynthia Essognim Gnassingbé-Essonam, a Togolese expert in international trade, is working to make the private sector the main driving force behind the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). As head of the corporate engagement strategy at the AfCFTA Secretariat, she is spearheading a range of initiatives to boost intra-African trade, attract investment and transform the continent’s economic integration.
Cynthia Essognim Gnassingbé-Essonam is among the rising figures of African economic integration. A Togolese expert in international trade and private sector development, she has established herself over the years as a key interlocutor between public institutions and the business community. Her career, built around investment promotion, public-private partnerships and trade policy, has led her to the heart of one of the continent’s most ambitious initiatives: the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Nowadays, when we talk about partnerships, we’re really talking on a continental scale. It’s about connecting businesses in one country with those in another, and that’s how we’ll be able to achieve the objectives of this major project, the AfCFTA.
Cynthia Essognim Gnassingbé-Essonam, Senior Private Sector Engagement Adviser, AfCFTA Secretariat – Togo
Before joining the AfCFTA Secretariat in 2022, Cynthia Gnassingbé-Essonam spent several years promoting strategic investment at Togo Invest. This experience enabled her to develop strong expertise in investor mobilisation, infrastructure project development and public-private partnerships. Recognised for her deep understanding of African trade issues, she was recruited to the AfCFTA Secretariat headquarters in Accra, where she now applies her expertise to support the implementation of the world’s largest integrated market across African countries.
t’s a huge undertaking, so we have to start somewhere. And first and foremost, it’s really about raising awareness. So, how do we ensure that all stakeholders involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem are fully aware of ASLECA and the opportunities it offers? Let me give you an example. We’ve started working with business support organisations. And what’s very important is the ‘train the trainer’ aspect. Because we need to be able to identify the right entry points in order to scale up the results we’re aiming for on the ground.
Cynthia Essognim Gnassingbé-Essonam, Senior Private Sector Engagement Adviser, AfCFTA Secretariat – Togo
Within the Secretariat, she leads the private sector engagement strategy, regarded as a key driver of the AfCFTA’s success. She coordinates dialogue between governments, businesses, chambers of commerce and investors to accelerate the adoption of the Agreement by economic operators. Among her major achievements are the establishment of the AfCFTA Private Sector Platform, the launch of the African Private Sector Hearings, and the strengthening of partnerships with business associations and financial institutions to facilitate intra-African trade and investment.
We cannot tackle problems in isolation. We need to tackle them in an integrated way. So, when we look at the various issues – such as access to finance – that means we need to talk to banks, we need to talk to DFIs, and we need to talk to insurance companies. When we talk about issues at the borders, it means we also need to build the capacity of customs authorities. When we talk about issues relating to training itself – to really empower women, whether in terms of digital literacy or financial literacy – it means we need partners who are capable of participating in these programmes, which really need to be developed in an integrated way.
Cynthia Essognim Gnassingbé-Essonam, Senior Private Sector Engagement Adviser, AfCFTA Secretariat – Togo
For Cynthia Essognim Gnassingbé-Essonam, the success of the AfCFTA depends above all on the active involvement of the private sector. Her vision is of an Africa where businesses—particularly SMEs, women entrepreneurs and young people—become the true driving force behind continental trade. She advocates greater access to finance, market information and regional value chains, convinced that economic integration will only reach its full potential when African businesses are able to fully seize the opportunities offered by the continental single market.
