Lomé, TogoMay 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has partnered with Rendeavour, a builder of new African cities, to support the implementation of the AfCFTA through infrastructure-led industrialization, integrated economic zones, and trade-driven urban development across the continent.
(L-R) Yomi Ademola, Chairman of Rendeavour West Africa; Stephen Jennings, Founder and CEO of Rendeavour; and H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, at the signing ceremony for the partnership between the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and Rendeavour in Lomé, Togo. This partnership designates Rendeavour as the first AfCFTA implementation partner for African industrialization and trade infrastructure.
The partnership was signed at Biashara Afrika 2026, the flagship private sector platform of the AfCFTA Secretariat, which brings together heads of state, ministers, regulators, investors, and business leaders to drive intra-African trade and industrialization.
Through this collaboration, Rendeavour will support the AfCFTA Secretariat in advancing the role of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as drivers of industrialization, mobilizing private capital for trade-enabling infrastructure, and supporting the development of trade and industrial corridors linked to integrated industrial and urban ecosystems.
The AfCFTA has a combined GDP of over $3.4 trillion and is expected to unlock an additional $450 billion in revenue across the continent by 2035. However, intra-African trade still accounts for only 14% of Africa’s total trade, highlighting the need for infrastructure that enables large-scale manufacturing, logistics, and cross-border trade.
Stephen Jennings, Founder and CEO of Rendeavour, stated: “Africa is not only the fastest-growing region in the world; over time, it will also become one of the safest and most reliable investment destinations. As the first private sector implementation partner of the AfCFTA, Rendeavour’s cities are recognized for their infrastructure and operating environments, where investment, manufacturing, and trade can thrive.”
H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, said: “Implementing the AfCFTA requires strategic partnerships that translate the agreement’s opportunities into commercially viable industrial and trade ecosystems. This partnership reflects the private sector’s growing confidence in Africa’s single market and industrial future.”
Supported by investors from the United States, Norway, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, Rendeavour’s cities in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the largest urban development projects on the continent, serving as hubs for businesses, residences, education, and entertainment within infrastructure-based economic zones. The Rendeavour ecosystem is currently valued at over $5 billion in development, encompassing 250 businesses, schools educating more than 6,000 students, and 10,000 mixed-income homes.
Rendeavour’s portfolio includes Tatu City in Kenya; Alaro City and Jigna City in Nigeria; Appolonia City and King City in Ghana; Roma Park in Zambia; and Kiswishi City in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.