Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), long recognized as the backbone of Africa’s economy, face persistent barriers to finance, markets, and digital solutions. Strengthening their capacity to harness digital tools was reaffirmed as a priority at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), where leaders placed digital transformation and private sector development at the core of Africa’s inclusive growth agenda.
On 26 August, Algeria advanced this vision with the launch of its eTrade Readiness Assessment (eT Ready), developed with UNCTAD and eTrade for all partners. The assessment provides a roadmap to unlock Algeria’s e-commerce potential, address structural barriers, and integrate MSMEs into regional and continental digital trade.
Algeria’s e-commerce sector has expanded rapidly, with registered online businesses growing at an annual rate of 92% since 2020 and online payment transactions tripling. Yet most online trade remains domestic, constrained by logistics and cross-border challenges. Still, business-to-consumer e-commerce sales represented 0.8% of GDP in 2023, aligning with the country’s economic diversification priorities.
The eT Ready offers concrete recommendations to strengthen competitiveness, foster regional trade integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and expand MSME participation. It also highlights Algeria’s role as host of the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in September 2025, which will showcase digital trade solutions and advance integration efforts.
“By empowering MSMEs to harness digital trade, we bring the promise of the AfCFTA closer to reality and ensure that no entrepreneur is left behind,” said Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD.
With 21 eT Readies already completed across Africa, UNCTAD notes that these assessments build national capacity for digital trade negotiations and regional cooperation. Algeria’s assessment, supported by Germany’s GIZ and other international partners, positions the country to accelerate its digital economy and strengthen its contribution to continental growth.
