The Challenge of Non-Tariff Barriers

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the impact of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) on trade within Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world, highlighting both the persistence of these barriers and examples of successful reduction efforts at border crossings.

• Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) act as a significant constraint on African trade and include a wide range of regulatory, financial, and administrative hurdles. These encompass onerous regulatory procedures, expensive visa requirements, corruption, inefficiency, import prohibitions, quotas, export subsidies, export restrictions, technical barriers to trade (such as regulations, standards and assessment procedures), and rules regarding animal and plant health and food safety.
• Implementation of specific frameworks has led to drastic reductions in border clearance times. At the Beitbridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe, average processing times for compliant trucks dropped from 35 hours to under two hours following the 2018 adoption of a One-Stop Border Framework and the launch of improvements in 2021. Similarly, reforms associated with the East African Community (EAC) reduced border crossing times from several days to approximately three to six hours.
• Despite some successes, the elimination of non-tariff barriers remains slow because these barriers are often tied to local practices or vested interests that support the livelihoods of communities over several generations. The COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area website identifies 25 examples of such barriers, ranging from product classification to import bans and corruption.
• African representation in global business rankings is low, as evidenced by the 2020 World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index, which featured only nine African countries in its top 100 list.

APA

Chipanda, B., & Cilliers, J. (2026). The Challenge of Non-Tariff Barriers. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=08-afcfta&topic=05-challenge-non-tariff-barriers

Chicago

Chipanda, Blessing, and Jakkie Cilliers. The Challenge of Non-Tariff Barriers. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=08-afcfta&topic=05-challenge-non-tariff-barriers.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chipanda |first1=Blessing |last2=Cilliers |first2=Jakkie |title=The Challenge of Non-Tariff Barriers |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=29 March 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=08-afcfta&topic=05-challenge-non-tariff-barriers |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chipanda2026challenge, author = {Chipanda, Blessing and Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{The Challenge of Non-Tariff Barriers}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=08-afcfta&topic=05-challenge-non-tariff-barriers}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }