Frequently Asked Questions

The AIDA / AfCFTA Impact Assessment Platform is a comprehensive digital tool developed by AUDA-NEPAD with support from JICA to measure, track, and accelerate Africa's readiness for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It uses three complementary assessment tools to evaluate trade potential, enabling environments, and industrialization readiness across all 55 AU member states.

AIDA stands for Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa. It is an African Union initiative that aims to promote industrialization across the continent. The AIDA / AfCFTA Impact Assessment Platform specifically measures how countries are positioned to benefit from the AfCFTA.

The platform is managed by AUDA-NEPAD (African Union Development Agency) with technical and financial support from JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). It operates under the broader framework of the African Union and the AfCFTA Secretariat.

The platform targets all 55 African Union member states. The number of countries that have completed assessments varies by tool and grows as more nations come on board. You can see the current coverage on our Interactive Map.

The platform uses three complementary tools:

• Future Impact Assessment Assessment: Identifies priority export products, models trade potential under AfCFTA tariffs, and assesses import sensitivity.
• Enabling Environment Assessment: Evaluates trade facilitation capacity, infrastructure quality, trade finance accessibility, and regulatory frameworks.
• Industrialization Readiness Assessment: Measures industrial capacity across 7 AIDA priority sectors including pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, and automotive.

The Future Impact Assessment uses a multi-criteria scoring methodology that evaluates products based on export potential, supply readiness, market competitiveness, employment impact, and value chain potential. Products are then ranked and those with the highest strategic significance are flagged as priorities for AfCFTA trade.

The Enabling Environment Assessment assesses a country's enabling environment for trade through three main sections:

• Trade Facilitation: Customs efficiency, border procedures, and regulatory compliance
• Infrastructure: Transport networks, logistics capacity, and digital connectivity
• Trade Finance: Access to credit, insurance, and financial instruments for exporters

It also incorporates government and stakeholder surveys for ground-truth validation.

The Industrialization Readiness Assessment evaluates industrialization readiness across the 7 AIDA priority sectors: Agro-processing, Pharmaceuticals, Automotive, Textiles & Apparel, Minerals & Beneficiation, Electronics & ICT, and Energy. Each sector is assessed at the cluster level with an overall readiness score.

Some data is publicly available on the Interactive Map and public portal. For detailed assessment data, priority products, and country reports, you need a registered account. You can sign in if you have credentials, or request access through our contact form.

Access is primarily granted to:

• Government officials involved in trade policy and AfCFTA implementation
• AUDA-NEPAD and AU staff working on AIDA assessments
• Development partners and international organizations supporting the AfCFTA
• Researchers and academics working on African trade and industrialization

Click "Forgot Password" on the login page and enter your registered email address. You will receive a password reset link. If you don't receive it, check your spam folder or contact support.

Registered users can export country reports and assessment summaries in PDF format. Raw data exports are available to authorized administrators and research partners. Contact us for bulk data requests.

Assessment data is updated as countries complete or revise their assessments. The platform reflects real-time status changes. Aggregate indicators and dashboards are refreshed continuously as new data becomes available.

Data from the platform may be cited in research and publications with proper attribution to AUDA-NEPAD / AIDA / AfCFTA Impact Assessment Platform. For formal data sharing agreements or API access, please contact our team.