By Prosper Makene
El Alamein, Egypt- Executive Chairperson of PMM Group of Companies and EACCIA Chairperson of the AfBC Technical Committee on Corridors, Connectivity & Special Economic Zones, Dr. Judith I. Mhina, has underscored the critical role of private sector leadership in advancing Africa's corridors, trade, investment and sustainable industrial development.
Dr. Mhina made the presentation at the Africa Business Council (AfBC) High-Level Private Sector Forum held at Rhatus Hotel, El Alamein, Egypt from 1st to 3rd October 2026, on the margins of the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Summit. The forum brings together African private sector leaders, policymakers and development partners to reflect on opportunities for strengthening trade, investment and regional integration.
She explained that the East African Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (EACCIA) has existed since September 2005 in Nairobi and was formally launched in Arusha in February 2006, to lobby for a conducive environment for cross-border trade and investment within the EAC Customs Union and Common Market.
EACCIA serves as the Eastern Africa Regional Representative for AfBC, with its CEO nominated as one of four Vice Presidents of AfBC, and is charged with leading the Technical Committee on Corridors, Connectivity and SEZs.
Drawing from PMM Group's diversified portfolio, Dr. Mhina said practical private sector experience shows corridor development is not only about building roads and railways, but must include efficient customs procedures, reliable logistics services, storage facilities, digital cargo tracking and coordinated border systems.
PMM Logistics, operating over 100 trucks across the EAC and Zambia, provides hands-on experience in customs and border compliance. PMM Estates operates an inland container depot in Dar es Salaam that supports storage, customs clearance and cargo consolidation and is linked to Standard Gauge and Meter Gauge railways and close to the port and airport. PMM Shipping is active in maritime transport and stevedoring, while McJuro Investments Ltd, established in 1991 in Dar es Salaam, operates clearing and forwarding services across Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi, DRC and Uganda.
She said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides an important framework for intra-African trade, but its benefits will depend on how effectively businesses can move goods, services, capital and investment across borders.
The Group is also active in responsible mining through Magambazi Gold Mine in Handeni District, in infrastructure through PMM Aggregates supplying construction materials, and in community enterprise through PMM Apiaries in Tabora Region, with nearly 500 beehives and 50 local people trained, linking business with conservation and youth employment.
On digitisation and innovation, Dr. Mhina said PMM Group has incorporated technology into logistics, including goods tracking and monitoring through partnership with Trace Inc., a telematics-based company. Digital systems can improve cargo visibility, enhance communication between stakeholders and reduce inefficiencies, and should be considered a core component of modern corridor infrastructure.
She said her experience across PMM sectors has reinforced that logistics, mining, agriculture, construction, shipping and investment are not isolated but are components of interconnected regional value chains.
As EACCIA Chairperson, she said the private sector experiences the realities of transportation costs, border procedures, infrastructure gaps and regulatory requirements daily, and policy dialogue should incorporate these experiences.
For stronger African corridors, she outlined priorities including improving road and rail connectivity, strengthening port and inland logistics infrastructure, reducing border delays, improving customs coordination, expanding digital trade and cargo systems, and creating predictable conditions for private investment.
She added that transport corridors should connect agricultural production areas, mining regions, industrial centres, ports, cities and markets to build stronger regional value chains, while investment in human capital - professionals in logistics, customs, technology, engineering and transport management - is equally important.
She said the AfBC General Assembly and High-Level Private Sector Forum provide an opportunity to strengthen partnerships in infrastructure, logistics, mining, agriculture, manufacturing, technology, investment and trade facilitation, and called for African businesses to build regional value chain partnerships while policymakers create enabling investment environments.
In conclusion, Dr. Mhina said Africa's economic transformation will require strong institutions, effective policies, modern infrastructure and a dynamic and responsible private sector. Her role within EACCIA's Technical Committee provides a platform through which private-sector experiences can contribute to the regional integration agenda.
"As we meet in El Alamein, the central message I wish to share is that Africa's development must be supported by stronger collaboration between governments, regional institutions, businesses and development partners. Our corridors should not merely move goods from one point to another; they should connect businesses to markets, communities to opportunities, investors to productive sectors and African economies to one another," she said.
"The future of African integration will depend significantly on our ability to transform connectivity into productive economic activity. By investing in infrastructure, innovation, responsible resource development, sustainable enterprise and cross-border partnerships, the African private sector can make a meaningful contribution to the continent's long-term transformation."
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