The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) successfully concluded its three-day conference titled "Unlocking Sub-Saharan Africa's Potential: Transforming Transport and Logistics for a Sustainable Future" at the Futuroad Expo Centre in Johannesburg from November 19 to 21, 2024.

The conference, jointly hosted by CILT’s Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe branches, took place alongside Automechanika and Futuroad Expo 2024. It brought together more than 100 delegates from 10 African nations, including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Apart from the speaker presentations, the conference also featured several panel discussions, a guided tour of the exhibitions, and numerous question-and-answer sessions.

The President of CILT International, Chief Teete OWUSU-NORTEY FCILT, gave the opening address. He pointed out that, while Sub-Saharan Africa is rich in resources, its growth is hampered by inefficient transport and logistics systems, with intra-African trade at only 13% compared to Europe's 60%. He added that the conference aimed to address these challenges through infrastructure development, regulatory harmonisation, technological innovation and capacity building.

Industry experts set the scene

Lwazi Mboyi, CEO of the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA), a sponsor of the event, emphasised the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to overcome challenges in transport and logistics in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the goal of achieving a more integrated and sustainable future for the region's transport systems.

Thabang Mamaru, Business Mobilisation at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), gave a presentation on the current state of intra-African trade and the progress being made towards continental integration. During his address, Mamaru emphasised several key areas, including infrastructure development, safety and security, skills development and technology and digitalisation. Mamaru's insights were part of a broader agenda that included discussions on harmonising regulatory frameworks and leveraging innovation for sustainable transport solutions in Africa.

Multimodal Inland Port Association (MIPA) representative, Warwick Lord, presented the Association's proposals for enhancing logistics corridors in Sub-Saharan Africa. He outlined the proposed solutions for strengthening logistics corridors, which included investment in infrastructure, the development of intermodal facilities, the standardisation of processes and documentation, the implementation of data-sharing platforms and a greater focus on improving customer engagement and satisfaction. 

Godwin Punungwe CMILT, Senior Transport and Trade Facilitation Consultant in the Tripartite Region and African Continent stated: “There is a need to integrate ICT systems at the national, corridor and regional levels for better coordination of all customs and other government agencies involved in the clearance of goods. Let's increase the establishment and use of digital infrastructure to identify and address non-tariff barriers in transport corridors and reduce corruption in trade and transport facilitation.”

Gerhard van Zyl from Professional Aviation Services and Asimotech, presented an insightful overview of the rapid evolution of business in the context of accelerating technological advancement. “Technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, compelling businesses to adapt or risk obsolescence,” he said. Van Zyl demonstrated how data visualisations illustrate the global impact of this exponential growth on business models.

Subsequently, Henry Smith, Chief Revenue Officer for Africa at Powerfleet, demonstrated how unified fleet solutions can facilitate digital transformation and operational excellence in Sub-Saharan Africa. "By leveraging the capabilities of telematics, Sub-Saharan Africa is spearheading a digital transformation in logistics, enabling unified fleet management, cost efficiency, and innovation for a more intelligent and sustainable future in logistics."

Mike Daniel, Managing Director of RailRunner South Africa, addressed a number of critical themes relevant to the transport and logistics sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. His remarks concentrated on pioneering solutions for rail transportation, the incorporation of multimodal logistics, sustainability initiatives and the fostering of collaborative relationships with key stakeholders.

Transformation requires collective effort

"The conference marked a significant milestone in our collective effort to transform the transport and logistics landscape of Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Dr Tapiwa Mujakachi, President of CILT Zimbabwe. "The diverse representation from across the continent underscores our shared commitment to regional integration and sustainable development."