Oluleye Calls For Boost In Intra-African Trade At Mission Africa Conference
Earlier today at the Mission Africa Conference held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Ayodeji D.F. Oluleye, Chief Executive Officer of Dfortune Pest Solutions Ltd, joined distinguished guests, policymakers, innovators, and honourees to deliberate on Africa’s socio-economic future and celebrate outstanding contributions to continental development.
This year’s conference was themed “Enhancing Africa’s Worth Through Economic Integration by Driving Change, Growth, Innovation and Collaborations.” The gathering brought together leading voices across sectors to examine practical steps toward deeper integration and prosperity across the continent.
Speaking during a high-level panel session, Mr. Oluleye emphasized the urgent need for enhanced business integration across African markets, highlighting the challenges posed by persistent inter-border trade restrictions, bureaucratic trade processes, and inconsistent regulatory frameworks that continue to undermine intra-African commerce.
He noted that while Africa holds immense economic potential, the continent still trades more with Europe, America, and Asia than it does internally. According to him, this long-standing imbalance limits Africa’s capacity to industrialize, scale indigenous enterprises, and build resilient regional value chains.
Mr. Oluleye stressed the importance of:
Harmonizing trade standards across African countries,
Simplifying customs and cross-border processes,
Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and
Establishing stronger platforms that support African businesses to scale beyond national borders.
“These reforms,” he said, “are essential to unlock Africa’s full economic potential, strengthen competitiveness, and ensure that African businesses lead Africa’s development trajectory.”
He also expressed profound appreciation to the Convener and Founder of Mission Africa, Temitope Victoria Adasonla, praising her visionary leadership and commitment to fostering unity, collaboration, and socio-economic advancement across the continent. He further acknowledged his nomination for the prestigious WWMRA Award, which recognizes exceptional contributions to innovation, technology, and service excellence within Africa.
Mr. Oluleye reaffirmed his dedication—and that of Dfortune Pest Solutions Ltd—to driving scientific advancement, environmental safety, and public health innovation as part of Africa’s broader development plan.
The Mission Africa Conference continues to serve as a major platform for strategic dialogue, collaboration, and the celebration of African excellence.