Insights from the Technical Sessions of the AfCFTA National Conference
As Sierra Leone prepares to trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), one issue emerged repeatedly during the National AfCFTA Conference in October 2025: understanding the Rules of Origin (RoO). They are the gateway to the entire agreement — determining which goods qualify for tariff reductions and how local firms can access Africa’s 1.3 billion–person market.
The technical sessions brought clarity, breaking down complex concepts into practical guidance for policymakers, traders, and manufacturers. This article summarises those insights and explains what Sierra Leonean businesses need to know.
Rules of Origin: The Backbone of AfCFTA Trade
According to the report, RoO act as the “gatekeeper” of the agreement. Goods can only enjoy preferential tariffs if they meet specific criteria proving they were sufficiently produced or transformed within an AfCFTA member state.
The report identified two broad qualification pathways:
- Goods “Wholly Obtained”
These include products entirely produced within Sierra Leone — such as crops, livestock, minerals, or fish caught in national waters.
- Goods that Undergo “Substantial Transformation”
The report highlighted the main tests used to determine this:
- Change in Tariff Heading (CTH)
- Change in Tariff Subheading (CTSH)
- Value Addition / Value Not Originating Materials (VNOM)
- Specific Processing Rules
- Chemical Reaction Rules for certain materials
These standards determine whether the transformation in Sierra Leone is significant enough for the product to qualify as “originating.”
Key Operational Rules
At the conference, several important considerations for businesses were outlined:
- Cumulation
Goods may qualify when value is added across multiple AfCFTA countries.
This is essential for regional value chains like textiles, agro-processing, or packaging.
- Treatment of Goods from Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
The discussions on this highlighted that SEZ-origin goods must still meet AfCFTA RoO to qualify.
- Packaging & Containers
Packaging materials may or may not count toward origin, depending on their classification.
- Accessories, Spare Parts & Tools
If shipped with a product, these are treated according to specific RoO provisions.
- Value Tolerance Rules
Certain products may exceed non-originating material thresholds within allowed margins.
Certification: How Businesses Prove Origin
The conference outlined two pathways for obtaining preferential treatment:
- Certificate of Origin
Issued by an authorised body (which Sierra Leone must operationalise).
- Origin Declaration
For low-value consignments — below USD $5,000, exporters may self-declare origin. This reduces bureaucratic burden for MSMEs. For larger exporters, the conference emphasised the need for an Approved Exporter regime to simplify certification.
Why Rules of Origin Matter for Sierra Leone’s Private Sector
The report made clear that RoO are not just technical — they directly impact competitiveness.
From technical discussions at the conference, it was highlighted that RoO enable:
- Access to a continental market with reduced tariffs
- Participation in regional value chains
- Lower production and trading costs
- Greater investment attractiveness
- Opportunities for local suppliers across agriculture, manufacturing, and processing
For Sierra Leone’s MSMEs—often the backbone of local production—understanding RoO is essential to expanding into regional markets.
Challenges Identified
The technical sessions highlighted several barriers Sierra Leone must address:
- Limited private-sector awareness
- Weak institutional capacity for RoO implementation
- Lack of digital tools for certification
- Informal and fragmented supply chains
- Low standards compliance
- Limited local inputs for value chain development
These are critical considerations for MTI, Customs, Standards Bureau and private-sector associations as they operationalise AfCFTA.
Recommendations from the Conference
The recommendations proposed listed priority actions for national implementation:
- Digitalisation of origin certification
- Awareness and training for exporters
- Clear national guidelines on RoO procedures
- Strengthening national institutions responsible for issuing certificates
- Support to SMEs to meet value-addition and input sourcing requirements
- Stronger inter-agency coordination for customs, standards, trade facilitation, and private-sector engagement
These steps are critical for ensuring Sierra Leone’s full participation in AfCFTA markets.
Moving Forward: Turning Rules into Market Access
The Rules of Origin discussed during the conference offer Sierra Leone a real opportunity: the ability to trade competitively beyond its borders and participate more deeply in Africa’s value chains. But this opportunity is only real if businesses and institutions understand the requirements and have the support to meet them.
This article, grounded entirely in the conference’s technical discussions, makes one thing clear: Rules of Origin are not a barrier — they are a roadmap. For Sierra Leone’s private sector, mastering them is the first step toward unlocking new markets, scaling production, and becoming a stronger player in the continental economy.