ABSTRACT
Regional integration is a process of integrating factor and goods market, as well as coordinating policies across independent states within a specific region. In fact, trade integration is at the heart of regional integration schemes. Most states which desire to cooperate among themselves at the regional level usually begin by ensuring that trade among them is freer. Regional integration and cooperation in Africa is not a recent phenomenon. In fact, it has been argued that amongst all countries in the developing world, Africa’s trade and monetary cooperation and integration strategies are the oldest. A major factor that contributes to the low level of trade facilitation and regional integration in Africa is the prevalence or existence of tariff barriers (TBs) and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) in the continent. The higher the number of documents required to be obtained before goods are exported, the more cumbersome it is to export and also the slower the process of integration.
