Product Documentation

Comprehensive concept note, technical specifications, and implementation roadmap for the AfCFTA/AIDA Impact Assessment Platform

Version 2.0 - October 2025
AUDA-NEPAD & Partners
Continental Scope
Key Partners:
AUDA-NEPAD
AfCFTA Secretariat
African Union Commission
JICA

1. Executive Summary

Platform Vision

The AfCFTA & AIDA Impact Assessment Platform represents a transformative digital infrastructure designed to monitor, assess, and accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa (AIDA) initiatives across all 54 African Union member states.

This comprehensive platform serves as the continental hub for trade liberalization monitoring and industrial development assessment, providing real-time data analytics, AI-powered insights, and collaborative tools for governments, businesses, researchers, and development partners.

Key Platform Highlights

  • 54 Countries: Complete continental coverage
  • 3 Assessment Tools: Comprehensive evaluation framework
  • Real-time Analytics: Live data processing and insights
  • AI-Powered: Machine learning recommendations
  • Multi-stakeholder: Collaborative ecosystem
  • Mobile-First: Accessible anywhere

Strategic Impact

The platform is expected to accelerate AfCFTA implementation by 40%, increase intra-African trade monitoring accuracy by 85%, and provide policy makers with actionable insights that drive economic integration and sustainable industrial development across the continent.

2. Platform Overview

2.1 Context

2022 Niamey Summit Mandate

In line with the discretion of the 2022 Niamey Summit on Economic Diversification and Industrialization, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), in collaboration with key stakeholders across various levels, coordinates the implementation of the AfCFTA/AIDA Impact Assessment Project to unlock the untapped potential of these critical frameworks.

2.2 Mission and Goals

Primary Mission

The primary goal of the platform is to track and assess the trade and economic impacts of AfCFTA & AIDA, providing real-time data and actionable insights to stakeholders.

2.3 Scope

Covering the full range of economic sectors, including:

  • Trade flows and intra-Africa trade patterns
  • Industrial growth and manufacturing capacity
  • Investment flows and capital movement
  • Employment generation and social outcomes
  • Infrastructure development and connectivity
  • Continental integration progress

2.4 Key Stakeholders

Multi-Stakeholder Ecosystem

The AfCFTA/AIDA Impact Assessment platform will foster synergy and alignment among relevant stakeholders across various levels.

Lead Organizations
  • AUDA-NEPAD: African Union Development Agency - Lead Coordinator
  • AfCFTA Secretariat: Trade Framework Implementation
  • AUC: African Union Commission - Continental Vision
  • JICA: Japan International Cooperation Agency - Development Partner
Additional Partners & Target Audience
  • International Partners: Afreximbank, AfDB, UNIDO, ITC
  • Regional Stakeholders: RECs and AU Member States
  • Private Sector: Business leaders and entrepreneurs
  • Research Institutions: Academic and policy research
  • Civil Society: Community organizations

3. Branding and Navigation Requirements

3.1 Standardized Title

Platform Title Standardization

Requirement: All platform sections, domains, and documentation must use the standardized title: "AfCFTA/AIDA Impact Assessment Platform"

3.2 Partner Banner Integration

Key Partners Banner

Implement prominent partner banner featuring the four key organizations with their defined roles:

  • AUDA-NEPAD - Lead Coordinator
  • AfCFTA Secretariat - Trade Framework
  • AUC - Continental Vision
  • JICA - Development Partner

3.3 Enhanced Navigation Structure

Primary Navigation Menu

The platform will feature an 8-item navigation structure with multi-language support:

Menu Item Description Key Features
Platform Overview Context, mission, and stakeholder information 2022 Niamey Summit background, objectives
Dashboard Role-based customized interface Admin, Country Focal Points, Other Users
Key Events Agenda Past and upcoming events management Kigali 2023, Accra 2024, future events
Capacity Building Training modules and workshops Platform usage, data interpretation, policy implementation
Resources Document repository and downloads Assessment guides, reports, policy briefs
Registration/Login User account management Role-based access, authentication
Contact Us Multi-channel communication system Platform admin, country focal points, partners
Language Switcher EN/FR language support Bilingual interface and content

4. Data Collection and Integration

4.1 Data Repository Architecture

Central Database

A comprehensive data repository where all data related to AfCFTA and AIDA implementation—trade & industry statistics, policy changes, economic impact, etc.—can be stored and accessed.

Data Categories

  • Trade statistics and flow data
  • Policy changes and regulatory updates
  • Industrial metrics and capacity data
  • Economic indicators and impact measures

Integration Sources

  • National Statistics Bureaus
  • Trade Ministries
  • Regional Databases
  • International Organizations

4.2 Automated Update Mechanisms

Set up automated systems for regular data collection and updates, ensuring that the platform always reflects the most current information.

4.3 Data Validation Process

Quality Assurance

Implement a system that ensures data quality by verifying accuracy, consistency, and reliability before it is made available on the platform.

4.4 Stakeholder Approval Process

Validation Workflow

This process requires validation from national authorities or designated stakeholders before data is published, ensuring ownership and credibility.

5. Impact Assessment Modules

AfCFTA Future Impact Assessment

Estimate economic, social, and environmental impacts of AfCFTA implementation using partial equilibrium modelling and stakeholder surveys.

  • Trade creation analysis
  • GDP impact projections
  • Employment estimates

Enabling Environment Monitoring

Track progress toward optimal trade facilitation conditions using a comprehensive logical framework approach.

  • Customs Efficiency (C1-C6)
  • Trade Facilitation (OP1.1-OP2.4)
  • Infrastructure (Trans-01, TID-1, TID-2)
  • Trade Finance (TF1-TF3)

Industrialisation Progress Assessment

Evaluate AIDA awareness, sector performance, and capacity building across seven key industrial enablers.

  • Infrastructure development
  • Human capital & skills
  • Technology transfer
  • Access to finance

6. Dashboard Customization Requirements

Role-Based Dashboard Features

The platform's dashboard items will be customized based on the user type and their assigned privileges. This tailored approach ensures that each user has access to the information and features most relevant to their role.

6.1 User Type Hierarchy

Platform Admin

AUDA-NEPAD Level

  • Full administrative access
  • User management
  • System configuration
  • Global analytics

Country Focal Points

National Level

  • Country-specific management
  • Data validation authority
  • Report upload capability
  • Indicator updates

Other Users

Researchers, Policymakers, Business

  • Real-time analytics access
  • Report generation
  • Data visualization tools
  • Research collaboration

6.2 Dashboard Menu Structure

Menu Item Platform Admin Country Focal Points Other Users
Platform Settings & Configuration ✅ Full Access ❌ No Access ❌ No Access
Content Management & Update ✅ Full Access ✅ Country-Specific ❌ No Access
Monitor Update Status ✅ All Countries ✅ Assigned Country ❌ No Access
Upload Report ✅ All Countries ✅ Assigned Country ❌ No Access
Update Indicator ✅ All Indicators ✅ Country Indicators ❌ No Access
Real-time Analytics ✅ Global Access ✅ Country Focus ✅ Limited Access
Country Assessment Reports ✅ All Reports ✅ Country Reports ✅ Public Reports
AI-customized Reports ✅ Full Features ✅ Country Features ✅ Basic Features

7. Reports & Analytics

Fixed Country Assessment Reports

Comprehensive reports submitted by designated country focal points providing insights into each country's trade and industrial status.

  • Standardized templates
  • Automated validation
  • Multi-format export

AI-Customized Assessment Reports

Tailored reports generated based on specific parameters such as country, sector, and other relevant criteria.

  • Natural language generation
  • Intelligent data interpretation
  • Policy recommendations

Real-time Analytics

Providing policymakers and business leaders with up-to-date data for informed decisions on trade and industrial trends.

  • Live data dashboards
  • Interactive visualizations
  • Cross-country comparisons

8. Key Events Agenda

8.1 Previous Events

September 2023: Kigali Kick-off Workshop

Initial platform launch and stakeholder engagement session.

  • Supporting documents repository
  • Stakeholder feedback collection
  • Action items and follow-ups

July 2024: Official Launch - Accra

Official Launch of the Standard Assessment Guide and platform deployment.

  • Standard Assessment Guide v11
  • Stakeholder commitments
  • Implementation roadmap

8.2 Upcoming Events

Future Events Management

Regular updates on upcoming workshops, training sessions, and stakeholder meetings. Event calendar integration with registration management and document sharing capabilities.

9. Capacity Building

9.1 Training Modules

Platform Usage Training

  • User interface navigation
  • Data entry procedures
  • Report generation processes
  • Dashboard customization

Trade Data Interpretation

  • AfCFTA impact analysis
  • AIDA progress assessment
  • Statistical analysis methods
  • Trend identification techniques

Policy Implementation

  • AfCFTA implementation strategies
  • AIDA industrialization approaches
  • Best practice sharing
  • Stakeholder engagement methods

9.2 Workshops and Webinars

Regular Training Sessions

Organize regular training sessions for government officials, private sector representatives, and other stakeholders to enhance their understanding of AfCFTA and how to use the platform effectively.

  • Monthly: Platform updates and new features
  • Quarterly: Assessment reviews and analysis
  • Annual: Strategy sessions and planning
  • On-demand: Technical support and troubleshooting

10. Resources Management

Document Repository

Upload all relevant documents, including the standard Assessment guide, country reports, and policy briefs.

Standard Assessment Guide

  • Latest version (v11) with updates
  • Historical versions for reference
  • Multi-language support (EN/FR)
  • Download tracking and analytics

Country Reports

  • Annual assessment reports
  • Quarterly progress updates
  • Sector-specific analyses
  • Comparative studies

Policy Briefs

  • Executive summaries
  • Policy recommendations
  • Implementation guidelines
  • Stakeholder communications

11. Registration and User Management

Designated Country Focal Points

These users will have the authority to continuously update and manage content related to indicators, country-specific reports, and the validation of uploaded data.

  • Government nomination required
  • Official verification process
  • Country-specific access assignment
  • Training completion mandatory

Other Users

This category includes researchers, policymakers, and business professionals with access to analytics and reporting features.

  • Self-registration with approval
  • Organization verification
  • Role-based access assignment
  • Terms of use acceptance

12. Contact Us System

Multi-Channel Communication

The "Contact Us" facility should enable users to submit different types of feedback directly to the Platform Admin, designated country focal point, or key partners.

Platform Admin Contact

  • Technical support requests
  • Platform enhancement suggestions
  • User account issues
  • General platform inquiries

Country Focal Point Contact

  • Country-specific data questions
  • Local stakeholder coordination
  • Regional collaboration requests
  • Data accuracy concerns

Key Partners Contact

  • Strategic partnership inquiries
  • Resource sharing requests
  • Collaboration opportunities
  • Technical cooperation

13. Technical Specifications

13.1 Current Technology Stack

Backend Technologies

  • PHP 8.1+: Server-side programming
  • MySQL 8.0+: Database management
  • Claude API: AI integration (Anthropic)
  • Session-based: Authentication system

Frontend Technologies

  • HTML5: Markup structure
  • CSS3: Styling and layout
  • JavaScript: Interactive functionality
  • Bootstrap 5: Responsive framework

13.2 Enhancement Requirements

Performance

  • Database optimization
  • Caching implementation
  • CDN integration
  • Load balancing

Security

  • SSL/TLS encryption
  • Input validation
  • SQL injection prevention
  • Security audits

Scalability

  • Microservices architecture
  • Database sharding
  • Horizontal scaling
  • Cloud deployment

14. Implementation Roadmap

4-Phase Implementation Strategy

A comprehensive 12-month implementation plan designed to deliver enhanced platform capabilities in manageable phases.

Phase 1: Foundation Enhancement (Months 1-3)

  • Standardized branding implementation
  • Enhanced navigation structure
  • Partner banner integration
  • Role-based dashboard customization

Phase 2: Feature Expansion (Months 4-6)

  • AI-powered analytics and reporting
  • Real-time data visualization
  • Comprehensive training modules
  • Multi-language support (EN/FR)

Phase 3: Integration & Optimization (Months 7-9)

  • External data sources integration
  • Advanced security measures
  • Performance optimization
  • Monitoring and analytics tools

Phase 4: Launch & Support (Months 10-12)

  • User acceptance testing
  • Comprehensive user training
  • Enhanced platform launch
  • Ongoing support establishment

Project Completion Summary

This comprehensive Product Requirements Document outlines the enhanced specifications for the AfCFTA/AIDA Impact Assessment Platform, incorporating all stakeholder requirements from the 2022 Niamey Summit mandate. The implementation of these requirements will create a world-class platform that supports evidence-based decision-making, facilitates stakeholder collaboration, and drives continental economic transformation.

Key Deliverables
  • Standardized platform branding
  • Partner banner integration
  • Enhanced navigation structure
  • Role-based dashboard customization
Expected Impact
  • 40% acceleration in AfCFTA implementation
  • 85% increase in trade monitoring accuracy
  • Enhanced policy decision-making capabilities
  • Continental economic integration acceleration

Document Version: 2.0 | Last Updated: October 2025 | Next Review: January 2026

Approved By: AUDA-NEPAD Platform Team | Distribution: All Key Stakeholders