The Centre for Regional Integration in Africa (CRIA), in partnership with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), organized a two-day Regional Integration Issues Forum (RIIF) in Accra, Ghana from 27 to 28 September 2023. With Afreximbank support and endorsement from the AfCFTA Secretariat, the 2023 RIIF SME Conference and Training on Intra-African Trade was convened with the goal of contributing to the African Union's program of action to accelerate AfCFTA implementation. Under the theme Breaking Business Barriers for AfCFTA acceleration, the SME Conference was designed to address the challenge of limited private sector engagement in continental trade, as a function of lack of awareness of the AfCFTA and lack of capacity to access cross-border markets. The challenges are further compounded by, among other issues: a) Lack of strategic capacity; b) Limited private sector participation in industrialization processes and value chains; c) Inadequate research and development and exchange of information; d) Inability to access other markets; e) Inadequate trade policies and regulatory frameworks; f) Limited movement of goods, services, capital, people, and ideas; and g) Inability to harness the power of innovation and technology to grow businesses. This backdrop and context provided the rationale for a conference cum training program that promotes knowledge and capacity building, as well as inclusivity and engagement of youth- and women-led SMEs who constitute the backbone of Africa's private sector. The specific objectives of the 2-day event were, therefore, to: a) Raise awareness of the AfCFTA strategy for private sector engagement; b) Deepen capacity of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to understand how to leverage opportunities offered by the AfCFTA; and c) Prepare African SME leaders to expand their businesses through regional value chains.