The incorporation of VAFT was triggered by a coup de tat that happened in one African country where one of the reasons stated for it was that the deposed leader had presided over the selling of the country’s most important natural resource (Uranium) to a colonizing power for less than 14% of the going market price. It pained us greatly to think that poor Africans, 63 years after the formation of the Organization of African Unity and 22 years after the African Union was formed, were still being subjected to such pathetic trade arrangements. If we had known that our brothers from another mother were being subjected to such, we would, at worst, have offered them 20% of the market value for the precious resource. 14% is just too pathetic!
Why don’t Africans help each other in the first place, we asked? It is because Africans generally do not know what their neighbors are producing. We are all in our silos, doing our own thing. To that end VAFT is an effort to create a trustworthy, accessible, and excellent online directory were only verified and legitimate African enterprises can showcase their products. This will extend their reach from local to continental, from several million to 1.2 billion people marketplace. Some say that African manufacturing is very low, that is true. However, that strengthens the need for VAFT even more. Africa needs to protect its small and fragile manufacturing base. African manufacturers, however small, are our economies, our jobs, our dignity and our livelihoods. VAFT exists to give all manufacturers a gateway into the African economy. This is just the beginning; we look forward to understanding the needs of African businesses better and serving them with excellence. Our message to all African based manufacturers is, verify yourself and sell to Africa. God bless Africa!
VAFT exists to create a safe, accessible, easy to use, online African business directory which enhances intra-African trade
We want to see a noticeable expansion of intra-African trade in our lifetime.