June 18, 2026
ASC concludes regional CAB activation workshop in Nairobi for EAC scopes
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Operational Instruments›Quality Infrastructure›Conformity Assessment›Pan-African Conformity GatewayReference demonstrator · Not endorsed
Operational Instruments
Conformity Assessment · Reference demonstratorCreating One African Market:
verified at the border.
The Pan-African Conformity Gateway is a sovereign digital operating layer for AfCFTA conformity assessment, accredited CAB activation and pre-import trade facilitation: designed to plug into the AfCFTA Reporting Gateway and national Single Window systems.
Aligned with AfCFTA Annex 6 · Articles 6, 8 and 9 · Reference only
54
AU Member States signed the AfCFTA agreement
30M
People potentially lifted out of extreme poverty
50
State Parties as of February 2026
$450B
Income boost in Africa by 2035: a 7% gain
About the Gateway
The missing transaction layer between AfCFTA policy and the border.
AfCFTA has the policy architecture. Africa has accredited CAB capacity. What is missing is the transaction-level operating layer that connects standards, accreditation, conformity assessment, national authorities and customs into a single verifiable flow: at the speed of trade.
The Pan-African Conformity Gateway is a reference demonstrator for that operating layer. It activates 4,400+ African accredited CABs, 10,000+ international laboratories, and routes pre-import applications to the right body under the right scope, with verified data transmitted to national Single Window and customs systems before goods arrive at the border.
Designed for ASC-led conformity coordination. Built to operate under AfCFTA, ARSO, AFRAC, PAQI and national-authority governance. Powered by GIG Tech / Outspection.
What the gateway delivers
A transaction-level operating layer for African conformity
Activate accredited CABs
Mobilise certification bodies, laboratories, inspection companies and field professionals under AFRAC-recognised accreditation: by scope, geography and performance.
Preserve national sovereignty
National authorities retain certifying authority, data residency, regulated-product scope and fee structure. No parallel accreditation system is created.
Connect conformity to customs
Verified pre-arrival conformity data is transmitted by API to national Single Window and customs systems, aligned with the WCO Data Model.
One standard, one test, one acceptance
Operationalize the principle of mutual recognition under AfCFTA Annex 6 Articles 6, 8 and 9 at transaction level.
How it works
From application to pre-arrival customs clearance
Step 01
Application
Importer or exporter opens a pre-import conformity file with HS code, product scope and supporting documents.
Step 02
Routing
Gateway routes to an accredited CAB by scope, geography, performance and national authority preferences.
Step 03
Conformity assessment
CAB performs inspection, testing or certification under recognised standards; results captured in the registry.
Step 04
Authority issuance
National competent authority issues the certificate of conformity. Mandate and fees remain national.
Step 05
Pre-arrival customs
Certificate, declaration and conformity data transmitted by API to Single Window and customs ahead of arrival.
Integration
Built to plug into the AfCFTA Reporting Gateway and national Single Window systems.
The Gateway exposes verified conformity events: application, assignment, inspection, certificate issuance, customs transmission: as structured records that can be consumed by the AfCFTA reporting layer, national bureaus of standards, customs authorities and corridor management bodies.
WCO Data Model
Pre-arrival certificate transmission
JSON / REST APIs
Per national-authority scope
Signed event log
Audit trail per transaction
AfCFTA Annex 6
Articles 6, 8 and 9 alignment
Event stream · afcfta-reporting/v1
14:02:11CERT.ISSUEDPACG-COC-2026-000184 · GH · HS 1006.30
14:02:09INSPECTION.COMPLETECAB:GHA-CB-0042 · scope 17025
13:58:44ROUTING.ASSIGNEDApp #A-94821 → CAB:GHA-CB-0042
13:57:30APP.SUBMITTEDImporter:GH-INT-3318 · Pre-import
13:55:02CUSTOMS.TRANSMITSingle Window GH · 2 certificates
Mock data · No real certificates issued
Continental architecture
From policy mandate to verified pre-arrival data
Policy
AfCFTA Annex 6 TBT
Standards
ARSO
Accreditation
AFRAC
Conformity
ASC coordination
Operating engine
GIG Tech / Outspection
Sovereign layer
National gateways
Trade gate
Customs & Single Window
Institutional framework
ARSO standards reference. AFRAC accreditation and MRAs. PAQI quality-infrastructure umbrella. National authority sovereignty preserved end to end.
View architectureAccredited CAB activation
ASC as conformity coordination anchor. Accredited CABs, laboratories and inspection companies enrolled by scope and performance.
Open registryCountry implementation
Pan-African shared interface, country-branded gateway or corridor-specific pilot: all on the same backend operating engine.
Select countryContinental reach
Designed for every State Party: deployable as a pan-African interface, a national gateway, or a corridor pilot.
Explore country gateways4,433
African accredited CABs
10,000+
International CABs & labs
1,000+
Inspection companies
4,000+
Field professionals
72 hrs
Prototype deployment
3 weeks
National gateway config
8 stages
Application workflow
1 layer
Sovereign operating layer
Flagship Operational Instrument
Creating One African Market: verified, accredited, accepted.
The AfCFTA is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want: a high-ambition trade agreement covering critical areas of Africa's economy, including technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, digital trade and investment protection.
The Pan-African Conformity Gateway operationalizes AfCFTA Annex 6 (TBT) and Annex 7 (SPS) at transaction level: digitising accredited CAB activation, conformity assessment and pre-arrival transmission to national Single Window systems, so that the AfCFTA's commitments translate into verifiable border outcomes.
Gateway Updates
Latest activity across CAB activation, corridors and coordination
June 14, 2026
AFRAC-recognised inspection bodies onboarded under Annex 6 Article 6 mutual recognition pilot
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June 9, 2026
Lagos–Cotonou corridor pilot transmits first verified pre-arrival conformity record to Single Window
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June 4, 2026
Gateway connects to AfCFTA Reporting Gateway sandbox: afcfta-reporting/v1 event stream live
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May 28, 2026
Ghana Standards Authority publishes national gateway configuration for regulated HS scopes
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May 21, 2026
ARSO standards reference layer extended to 1,200 harmonised African standards (ARS)
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Our Conformity Areas
The Pan-African Conformity Gateway covers the regulated scopes of AfCFTA trade
Trade in Goods: Conformity
Pre-import certificate of conformity for regulated HS scopes, aligned with national authority mandates.
Explore
Technical Regulations (TBT)
Operationalizes AfCFTA Annex 6 Articles 6, 8 and 9: accredited assessment against recognised standards.
Explore
Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS)
Plant and animal health checks, food safety inspection routed to accredited national CABs and laboratories.
Explore
Customs & Trade Facilitation
Pre-arrival transmission to Single Window and customs aligned with the WCO Data Model and corridor instruments.
Explore
Careers & Bids
Latest Bids
Consulting service to design, develop and integrate the AfCFTA e-Certificate of Origin (e-CO) interoperability module with the Conformity Gateway
Location: Accra, Ghana Deadline: July 23, 2026 · 11:00 GMT
RFP (EN)
Expression of Interest: accredited assessors to serve on the Pan-African CAB Performance Pool (TBT and SPS scopes)
Location: Kigali, Rwanda Deadline: June 25, 2026 · 16:00 GMT
REOI (EN / FR)
Technical assistance: national gateway configuration and Single Window API integration for two AfCFTA State Parties
Location: Remote / Continental Deadline: August 12, 2026 · 17:00 GMT
RFP (EN / FR)
Mock procurement notices · No live solicitations
Gateway in the Media
Statements, briefings and corridor walkthroughs
Recorded sessions covering AfCFTA Annex 6 operationalization, CAB activation under AFRAC mutual recognition, and ASC-led corridor pilots: for ministries, bureaus of standards and customs authorities.
Playlist · 8 Videos · Demonstrator placeholders
59:26
Opening address: ASC Conformity Coordination
44:38
AfCFTA Annex 6 Articles 6, 8 and 9 in practice
42:23
Lagos–Cotonou corridor pilot walkthrough
31:12
AFRAC accreditation and the CAB activation engine
28:45
Ghana national gateway: Single Window integration
19:08
Pre-arrival conformity and customs facilitation
Our Focus
Opportunities
Quick links
Reference demonstrator · Not formally endorsed by AfCFTA, ARSO, AFRAC or PAQIPowered by GIG Tech / Outspection
"One standard, one test, one certificate: accepted across the African Continental Free Trade Area, verified at the border, governed by national authorities."
Operating principle · Pan-African Conformity Gateway
Institutional reference framework
AfCFTA
Policy framework
ARSO
Standards
AFRAC
Accreditation
PAQI
Quality infrastructure
ASC
Conformity coordination
Ready to see the gateway in action?
Walk through a pre-import conformity application, register an accredited CAB, or open a country gateway dashboard. All flows use mock data.
NoteReference demonstrator. The AfCFTA portal styling and institutional branding are shown for visual integration reference only: not formally endorsed by the AfCFTA Secretariat, ARSO, AFRAC or PAQI. No real certificates are issued. Standards and accreditation mandates remain with the competent institutions.