Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to the President of Ghana, has called for concrete measures to translate Africa’s continental integration into tangible economic outcomes for women, youth, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

He delivered the remarks at the Presidential & Business Leaders’ Dialogue, held on Day Three of the 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD). The dialogue, held under the theme “Empowering SMEs, Women & Youth in Africa’s Single Market: Innovate. Collaborate. Trade,” took place at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) on Friday, 6th February, 2026.

Mr. Debrah highlighted real-life challenges faced by Africans navigating the continent’s complex visa and trade systems. “A group of young people, led by former legislator Hon. Ras Mubarak, set out to tour Africa and could only visit 31 countries because of visa delays. It took three months to obtain responses from one country,” he recounted, emphasizing the urgency of free movement for economic development.

Debrah stressed that while Africa has largely established the architecture of integration, the next step is to ensure that these ambitions improve the daily lives of those who form the backbone of the continent’s economy. “SMEs account for the overwhelming majority of businesses and jobs, yet only a small fraction participate in cross-border trade. Women entrepreneurs and young innovators face structural barriers to finance, markets, and technology,” he said.

He lauded the Africa Prosperity Network for providing a platform where policy meets capital, ideas are tested against implementation, and partnerships are formed to drive measurable outcomes. “This dialogue has evolved beyond a conference. It is now a space where Africa’s future is discussed in terms of deals, reforms, partnerships, and tangible results,” Mr. Debrah added.

Highlighting Ghana’s commitment to economic integration, Mr. Debrah noted that the country continues to champion practical reforms through the Secretariat of APTA, including simplifying customs procedures, reducing non-tariff barriers, improving logistics, strengthening value chains, and investing in industrial and digital infrastructure. He reinforced President Mahama’s call for integration to be engineered, financed, and implemented, warning that declarations alone will not drive continental prosperity.

Mr. Debrah also invoked the vision of Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, emphasizing that unity must be expressed in markets, jobs, and opportunities for African enterprises. He outlined three key actions for achieving an inclusive single market: aligning finance with enterprise, building trade capability at scale, and making integration visible and tangible through successful cross-border trade by women-led and youth-led businesses.

Mr. Debrah underscored that a borderless Africa is not about erasing sovereignty but unlocking opportunity. “If we empower women and youth with real access to finance, skills, markets, and mobility, we will grow dignity alongside growth. If we scale SMEs into continental champions, we will create jobs, resilience, and shared prosperity,” he said.

The Chief of Staff further urged all stakeholders to innovate with purpose, collaborate seriously, and trade confidently until Africa’s single market becomes a lived reality for all citizens.