The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to create the world's largest free trade area, connecting more than 1.4 billion people in a single integrated market. By reducing trade barriers and boosting regional commerce, it seeks to strengthen industrial value chains and reduce reliance on raw material exports. While initiatives such as the Guided Trade Initiative have shown that the agreement can work, significant challenges remain. We ask: to what extent has the AfCFTA deepened intra-African trade?