Accra, Ghana—At the 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD), Nova Impact convened policymakers, ecosystem leaders, youth innovators, and women-led SMEs for a high-impact side event focused on Next Generation Tech Education for Cross-Border Trade, advancing practical pathways for inclusive participation in Africa’s AfCFTA journey.

Held as a curated breakfast meeting and masterclass series, the session created a collaborative learning space to examine how digital skills, cybersecurity awareness, and technology-enabled sales systems can empower African businesses, particularly youth and women entrepreneurs, to scale beyond borders.

The first masterclass, “Digital Security & Resilience Accelerator for Women,” was facilitated by Mr. Eric Kwaku Mensah, Africa Cybersecurity & Financial Crimes Specialist. The session equipped participants with critical knowledge on digital safety, fraud prevention, data protection, and resilience frameworks necessary for women-led enterprises operating within the digital trade ecosystem. Discussions emphasized that trust and security remain foundational to enabling women to thrive in cross-border e-commerce and digital finance systems.

The second session, “Go Digital, Go Continental: Practical Digital Tools for AfCFTA Trade,” was led by Erica Franklin, Global Director of Sales at Sistas in Sales and Board Chair of Nova Impact. Her masterclass spotlighted actionable digital sales strategies, market entry tools, and platform solutions that SMEs can deploy to access regional markets, build customer pipelines, and compete at a continental scale under AfCFTA.

Speaking at the event, Nova Impact representatives underscored the organization’s commitment to working at the intersection of policy dialogue, digital skills development, and inclusive economic empowerment. The convening reinforced the need to position youth and women not merely as beneficiaries of AfCFTA, but as leaders, innovators, and drivers of Africa’s digital trade future.

Nova Impact expressed appreciation to the Africa Prosperity Network and convening partners for providing a platform that translates continental trade policy into practical learning and opportunity pipelines.

As Africa accelerates toward deeper economic integration, the dialogue highlighted a clear call to action: the future of AfCFTA is digital, and inclusion remains non-negotiable.

Nova Impact Hosts High-Impact Side Event on Next Generation Tech Education for Cross-Border Trade at APD 2026

Nova Impact convened policymakers, ecosystem leaders, youth innovators, and women-led SMEs for a high-impact side event focused on Next Generation Tech Education for Cross-Border Trade, advancing practical pathways for inclusive participation in Africa’s AfCFTA journey.

Held as a curated breakfast meeting and masterclass series, the session created a collaborative learning space to examine how digital skills, cybersecurity awareness, and technology-enabled sales systems can empower African businesses, particularly youth and women entrepreneurs, to scale beyond borders.