Transforming African Trade and Finance through Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence.
Interview with Ludovic Thanay, SVP Sales at Webb Fontaine.
With over two decades of recognised experience in Customs administration and international relations, Ludovic Thanay has played a central role in facilitating global trade. During his time at the World Customs Organization, he led major communications and policy initiatives impacting over 100 countries. Today, as Senior Vice President at Webb Fontaine, Ludovic leverages cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analytics to transform Customs operations, strengthen revenue security, and accelerate sustainable cross-border trade.
How important is digital technology in transforming and facilitating regional trade agreements in Africa?
Digital transformation is no longer a strategic choice; it is a necessary reality. Intra-African trade, while promising, is still hindered by a patchwork of regulations, siloed systems, and vastly unequal infrastructure. Yet this diversity presents a powerful opportunity: to build a shared foundation through digital means.
Take artificial intelligence. It doesn’t just automate processes; it provides insight. It structures data, reveals previously invisible trends, and allows for anticipation rather than reaction. It changes how Customs administrations make decisions, offering powerful predictive and adaptive tools.
At Webb Fontaine, we support this shift by going beyond simple digitisation of existing processes. We develop complete digital environments: Single Windows, Customs systems, port platforms, and interconnected ecosystems designed to adapt to local realities. But this is not just a technical matter. Digital tools bring traceability, strengthen accountability, and restore trust in trade chains.
In the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), where implementation relies on collective and coherent action, this transparency is vital for inclusive integration.
Digital solutions also act as unifiers. By promoting shared frameworks, common languages, and interoperable systems, we are gradually building the foundations of a more fluid, fair, and connected African trade space.
How does Webb Fontaine use digital solutions to improve efficiency and transparency in trade under the AfCFTA?
Transparency begins with data. But data only has value when it is accessible, readable, and usable. That is why our platforms include smart modules that guide users and simplify processes.
Take Webb Valuation, which uses algorithms to assess the accuracy of declared values. Webb Classification, meanwhile, helps agents select the correct tariff code. These tools don’t replace human expertise; they enhance it.
By making operations traceable, auditable, and interconnected, our solutions become instruments of trust. This helps states improve revenue collection and strengthens engagement with the private sector, which is crucial in frameworks like AfCFTA that demand collaborative governance.
Our approach also relies on modular architecture, allowing administrations to gradually build their digital ecosystems. For instance, they can add a Single Window to coordinate documents or integrate Webb Ports to streamline port management. All these components work together, ensuring coherence, speed, and fluidity in trade operations.
We’ve also developed complementary tools like Paylican, our online invoicing and payment platform. These additions form a robust digital infrastructure.
How do your digital tools enhance customs security and combat trade fraud across African markets?
Securing trade flows requires the ability to detect anomalies without slowing down operations. Our tools are designed with this delicate balance in mind.
With AI, Webb Valuation establishes benchmark profiles and flags significant discrepancies. We’ve also built in pre-assessment tools such as KYC (Know Your Customer), which help classify operators in advance. This reduces system blind spots and strengthens the integrity of the clearance process.
Our risk-based approach, integrated into Webb Customs, enables more efficient and targeted inspections. It helps combat fraud while maintaining smooth logistics, protecting system integrity without compromising competitiveness.
Webb Tracking adds another layer of security by offering real-time cargo tracking. This visibility greatly reduces the risk of tampering or substitution. Combined with automatic alerts and analytical dashboards, the entire chain becomes more resilient to threats and fraudulent behaviour.
In contexts where smuggling or under-declaration are widespread, these solutions offer authorities swift, well-documented, and legally sound interventions. It marks a shift from reaction to prevention, from general suspicion to targeted analysis.
What specific digital challenges do African countries face in implementing AfCFTA, and how do your innovations address them?
The challenges are many: differing systems, low interoperability, inconsistent connectivity, and at times, a lack of coordination between public agencies. But these are not insurmountable. They require a tailored approach built on listening and adaptation.
Our solutions are designed to function in hybrid environments. In Niger, for example, we’ve implemented a cross-border flow tracking system adapted to on-the-ground realities while still meeting AfCFTA technical standards. In Guinea, we’ve improved border post connectivity with lightweight yet powerful platforms.
Every project begins with an assessment of local capacity. We then co-develop scalable solutions that take political, technical, and human constraints into account. Our platforms also help build institutional digital memory. By capitalising on collected data, administrations can refine policy, anticipate reform needs, and develop Customs systems more aligned with regional goals.
Avoiding technological silos is crucial. We advocate for collaborative approaches built on open standards and shared APIs to ensure system continuity and compatibility across regions.
How are artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies integrated into your solutions to optimise cross-border trade processes?
At Webb Fontaine, we have deliberately and strategically integrated artificial intelligence across all our platforms. Rather than being just a trendy technology, AI acts as a genuine public sector partner in Customs and trade. It turns raw data into actionable information, and information into operational intelligence.
In Webb Valuation, AI analyses thousands of references and records to detect undervaluation, a common tactic to avoid duties. This automated analysis ensures greater consistency in revenue collection and promotes tax fairness.
In Webb Classification, AI assists agents in selecting the correct HS code from simple descriptions, reducing errors, disputes, and delays. We also use optical character recognition (OCR) to automatically extract information from trade documents, speeding up processing while preserving accuracy.
With built-in geolocation in Webb Tracking, cargo can be monitored in real-time, enhancing transparency throughout the logistics process. Our risk management algorithms in Webb Customs learn from observed behaviours, allowing authorities to focus inspections on high-risk shipments while streamlining processes for compliant operators.
This predictive logic frees up resources and improves overall administrative performance. By combining these technologies into cohesive ecosystems such as Webb Ports, Webb Customs, or Webb Tracking, we give countries greater control over their trade, more refined resource management, and an unprecedented ability to anticipate.
This capacity for anticipation and adaptation underpins our commitment to supporting Customs administrations across the continent.
Could you share concrete examples where digitalisation has helped reduce clearance times and improve intra-African trade fluidity?
Each context requires a tailored solution. In Côte d’Ivoire, the introduction of Webb Trade Single Window and Webb Valuation reduced average clearance times from several days to under 24 hours for compliant operators. Declarations are processed as soon as they’re submitted, and inspections now focus on genuinely high-risk cargo.
In Benin, digitising processes for goods in transit using Webb Tracking has reduced cargo diversions and increased the proportion of repatriated revenue. Beyond transit, Benin was one of the first countries to adopt an integrated Customs management approach using Webb Customs and Webb Valuation. This strengthened risk analysis, simplified administration, and improved trust among economic operators — resulting in higher Customs revenue, better compliance, and fewer fraud cases.
In Nigeria, our integrated platform enabled Customs to centralise data, improve risk analysis, and streamline interactions with authorised economic operators.
These examples show that digitalisation is not a luxury. It is a driver of competitiveness and fiscal fairness. We’re also seeing improved inter-agency coordination, shorter approval cycles, and higher voluntary compliance — all positive indicators for African economies.
Beyond Africa, successful experiences in Nepal and Bangladesh also stand out. There, implementing foreign trade single windows and risk analysis tools significantly reduced clearance delays. These cases show that the impact of digitalisation crosses regional borders and that solutions like those from Webb Fontaine can be adapted to diverse contexts while maintaining efficiency and compliance.
What is your digital vision for the future of African trade integration, and how does Webb Fontaine plan to support this long-term transformation?
Africa must define its own digital standards, build trusted infrastructures, and equip itself with tools that match its ambitions. Digitalisation should not be something that happens to Africa. It must be chosen, owned, and embedded in a sustainable development strategy.
At Webb Fontaine, we aim to be a catalyst for digital sovereignty. We support states in defining their priorities, transferring knowledge, and building resilient technological ecosystems.
Our vision is grounded in a simple belief: the future of African trade will be shaped by African solutions, designed and developed by talent from the continent. Together, public and private sectors will build this digital future.
We also believe in step-by-step integration, respecting local specificities while laying the foundations for harmonised systems. Through partnerships with regional institutions, universities, and innovation centres, we promote sustainable knowledge transfer and lasting digital culture, helping build a more connected and autonomous Africa that plays a central role in its own trade development.
Originally published in L'economist
