Digital Product Passports (DPPs) should be viewed as a strategic opportunity to improve Africa's competitiveness, strengthen intra-African trade and expand access to international markets, rather than as another layer of regulatory compliance, speakers said during a recent webinar that unpacked the role of these digital identity cards that store lifecycle data.

The webinar brought together representatives from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, official barcode issuer GS1 South Africa, sustainability and climate change consultancy SustainableDNA and Kenya's National Environment Management Authority to discuss how DPPs could reshape trade, sustainability reporting and supply chain transparency across the continent.

DPPs are emerging as a key requirement under the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which will require detailed digital records on products entering the EU market. However, panellists stressed that African businesses should not regard DPPs simply as a European compliance obligation.

AfCFTA Secretariat senior digital trade expert Dr Talkmore Chidede said the technology aligns closely with the objectives of the AfCFTA by making cross-border trade more transparent while supporting participation by small businesses, women entrepreneurs and rural producers.

He explained that African exporters currently rely heavily on paper documentation to demonstrate product origin, manufacturing processes and compliance with export requirements. DPPs, by contrast, would create verifiable digital records that improve traceability throughout the supply chain and simplify compliance with both regional and international regulations.

Chidede added that early adoption of DPPs would also strengthen implementation of the AfCFTA by supporting harmonised product information, improving traceability and making it easier for businesses to demonstrate compliance with rules of origin.

GS1 South Africa global standards and solutions executive Michele Padayachee said Africa should seize the opportunity to build greater trust within its own value chains, rather than viewing DPPs solely through the lens of European regulation.

"The digital product passport is about the story behind the product," she said, noting that Africa needs systems capable of demonstrating where products originate, how they are produced and whether sustainability claims can be trusted.

Padayachee cited South Africa's Cape wool industry as an example, explaining that digital traceability is already helping exporters demonstrate the provenance of wool destined for markets such as China and Japan.

She emphasised that trusted digital identities would not only support exports to Europe and beyond but also strengthen trade across Africa by improving confidence among buyers, retailers, regulators and consumers.

SustainableDNA CEO Belinda Carreira said DPPs extend sustainability reporting beyond company-level disclosures by providing product-specific information that consumers can easily access.

Instead of focusing only on environmental impacts, passports can also include information on employment creation, labour practices, water use and broader social impacts associated with manufacturing.

This enables consumers to make better-informed purchasing decisions while simultaneously providing governments with valuable data to inform industrial policy, localisation strategies and sustainability initiatives.

Several speakers agreed that Africa should actively participate in the development of international standards governing DPPs to ensure that future requirements reflect the continent's realities.

Padayachee pointed to ongoing work within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), warning that African participation remains limited despite the significant implications for exporters.

Rather than developing fragmented national systems, she said countries should work towards harmonised standards and common data models that remain compatible with international requirements while incorporating Africa-specific priorities.

Panellists also highlighted the importance of ensuring that DPP implementation does not disadvantage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Carreira said digital tools must be simple and accessible, potentially using smartphones and QR-code-based systems, while larger companies should support SMEs within their supply chains through training, supplier development and enterprise development programmes.

David Ong'are, director of compliance at Kenya's National Environment Management Authority, agreed that reporting requirements should remain straightforward and avoid placing additional administrative burdens on businesses that are already required to comply with multiple reporting frameworks.

Padayachee added that affordability, awareness and education would be critical to successful implementation.

She said SMEs first need guidance on basic record-keeping, including documenting where materials originate and how products are manufactured, before transitioning to more sophisticated digital systems.

The discussion also highlighted the role DPPs could play in supporting circular economy initiatives.

According to Ong'are, product passports can help identify the composition of products, improve recyclability and support extended producer responsibility programmes by enabling better tracking of materials throughout their lifecycle. Reliable data would also strengthen policymaking by helping governments identify resource efficiency opportunities and address gaps in waste management systems.

Carreira noted that understanding the material composition of products creates opportunities for repair, refurbishment and recycling industries while reducing waste sent to landfill. Product-level data can also help manufacturers optimise designs, improve resource efficiency and make more informed decisions about material selection.

Beyond environmental benefits, panellists said DPPs could strengthen Africa's position in global trade by improving proof of origin.

Chidede said many African SMEs already produce goods that satisfy AfCFTA rules of origin but are unable to demonstrate compliance because of inadequate documentation. Digital product passports could simplify this process by providing regulators with traceable evidence of product history, enabling more businesses to qualify for preferential trade under the continental free trade agreement.

Closing the session, moderator Wendy Poulton concluded that successful implementation of DPPs will depend on collaboration between governments, standards organisations, industry associations and businesses. The panel agreed that interoperability, trusted data, harmonised standards and widespread digital capacity building will be essential if Africa is to maximise the trade, sustainability and economic opportunities presented by digital product passports.