The Journal of African Policy Studies Vol. 31, No. 1, 2025 45 Philip Ademola Olayoku Technology and the Sustainable Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Through Women’s Integration Philip Ademola Olayoku * Abstract The desire for economic prosperity on the African continent led to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in line with the vision of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), when it proposed the creation of an African Economic Community (AEC) by 2028. However, sustainable economic development will remain a mirage without inclusivity where no one is left behind, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. This study explores the challenge of restricting women to economic margins in trade agreements under the AfCFTA and how this would undermine its implementation. It subsequently contends that women are integral to Africa’s digital economic transition(s), while proposing the need for gender responsiveness in the styling, configuration, and use of technology to boost intra-African trade. Keywords: African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); gender responsiveness; Africa’s Economic Digital Transitions Introduction Proponents of the struggle for the decolonization of the continent have always integrated economic freedom into plans for its actualization, especially in the bid to attain sustainable development. The efforts to end imperial domination achieved * Philip Ademola Olayoku (ORCID: 0000-0003-0117-8778) has a doctorate in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan, where he teaches as an adjunct. He is the coordinator of the West African Transitional Justice Centre (WATJCentre). Email: philip.olayoku@gmail.com