The Questions Exporters Ask
Rules of origin, HS codes, capped scores, and why the assessment sometimes refuses to give you a number at all. Direct answers, first sentence first, no preamble.
What is the AfCFTA Export Readiness Index?
It is a free 39 question assessment that measures whether your business can actually trade across an African border, covering customs, rules of origin, standards, payment, logistics, and counterparty risk. It takes about eleven minutes and needs no documents.
What are rules of origin, and why do they matter?
Rules of origin decide whether your product legally counts as African enough to qualify for AfCFTA tariff preference. If your product does not meet the rule for its category, you can still export, but you pay standard duty, which usually removes the reason the market was worth entering.
Why was my score capped?
Your score is capped when something blocks you completely rather than merely weakening you: no customs registration, an unconfirmed rules of origin position, a missing mandatory certification, or no way to receive a cross border payment. The result names the cap, shows your uncapped score, and the gap between the two is exactly what clearing that one gate is worth.
Do I need an HS code before I can export?
Yes. The HS code is the international number classifying your product, and your duty rate, your rules of origin test, and your export documents all key off it. Getting it wrong is one of the most common and most expensive first shipment errors, and confirming it with a clearing agent is usually free.
I have never exported. Is this assessment for me?
Yes, and it is designed for you. It also credits informal regional cross border trade as genuine export experience, because it is, and penalising it would be dishonest about how trade in this region actually works.
Why does the assessment stop if I sell services?
Because AERI version 1 assesses goods exporters, and scoring a services business against rules of origin and packaging would produce a number that means nothing. We would rather tell you that than hand you a misleading result. A services track is planned.
What does AfCFTA Ready mean?
It means you can complete an export transaction end to end and you have confirmed your rules of origin position, so you are actually claiming the tariff preference rather than merely qualifying for it in theory. Businesses that ship competently but have never checked their origin position are held at Export Capable, because they are usually paying duty they do not need to pay.
Is this a credit score?
No. It is a Readiness Indicator built from your own unverified answers; it is not a credit score, does not predict default, and is not legal, customs, or financial advice. Confirm classification and origin with your customs authority or a licensed clearing agent before acting on anything.
How do I check a foreign buyer before shipping to them?
You commission a Business Information Report: independent verification that the company exists, trades, is solvent, is owned by who it claims, and pays its suppliers. A registration number only proves a company was formed once; across a border, in a registry you cannot read and a court you cannot practically reach, that difference is the entire risk.
What is the difference between this and the Business Confidence Index?
The BCI assesses your whole business as a lender, buyer, or investor would read it; the AERI assesses whether you can trade across a border specifically. If you are exporting or intend to, take AERI. If you want the full picture of the business itself, take the BCI. They share a foundation and answer different questions.
