The United Business Group (UBG) has emphasized the urgent need for bold marketing strategies to harness Africa’s immense economic potential. Despite being the world’s second-largest continent, with a gross domestic product of approximately 2.9 trillion USD, Pakistan’s trade with African countries remains disappointingly limited. UBG leaders highlight the stark difference in trade figures, noting that Pakistan’s exports to Africa are only 1.66 billion USD, compared to India’s impressive 30 billion USD in exports.
The group identifies weak banking systems and insufficient trade facilities as major obstacles to strengthening economic relations. They emphasize that Pakistan has significant export opportunities in traditional sectors such as rice, mangoes, sports goods, and textiles. To bridge the gap, UBG leaders propose sending fact-finding missions to African markets to explore sustainable trade prospects and make full use of Pakistani embassies and trade missions in the region.
UBG President Zubair Tufail suggests establishing “display centers” in Pakistani diplomatic missions to showcase export products, thereby establishing connections with local importers. He highlights Africa’s diverse economic landscape, where markets have varying standards and lower regulatory requirements, particularly concerning sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
UBG also highlights the unique opportunity presented by Africa’s large Muslim population, offering Pakistan a chance to strengthen its global position in supplying halal-certified products. They identify Kenya, Mauritius, Ghana, South Africa, and Morocco as strategic gateways to the continent, urging the government to enhance banking and trade facilities to unlock this high-potential market.