ROAD-1
Africa’s first institutional trade intelligence framework
Friction scores, PAPSS settlement intelligence, NTB corridor analysis, Narrative Friction Flags, and real-time port data across all 54 AfCFTA corridors. Built for banks, logistics operators, hedge funds, and port authorities.
tracked live
potential unlocked
SWIFT on EGP/NGN
voice-enabled
Ask ROAD-1 — Friction Intelligence
Composite of four weighted components. Each draws from named, verifiable sources. Higher score = more friction = harder to move cargo efficiently and cheaply.
Ask ROAD-1 anything about African trade
Port friction · corridor routing · PAPSS settlement · commodity exports · FX exposure · forwarder strategy
The ROAD-1 intelligence stack
Six proprietary data layers combined into one composite score. Every component auditable, every source named.
Composite Friction Score
Pan-African Settlement Intelligence
PAPSS eliminates USD intermediation on intra-African trade. ROAD-1 tracks live spread data, adoption timelines, and corridor-specific savings in real time.
PAPSS vs SWIFT saving by corridor
Adoption reality — May 2026
Based on ROAD-1 spread data Q1–Q2 2026. Setup: Access Bank (NG), KCB (KE), or Equity Bank. Estimates only — verify with your treasury team.
Non-Tariff Barrier Heatmap
Checkpoint density, SPS compliance rates, informal levy ground truth, and border dwell data. Free tier shows 3 of 54 corridors.
| Corridor | Mode | NTB Score | FX Risk | Avg delay | Checkpoint levy | Trend | PAPSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lagos → Accra | Road | 87 | GHS/NGN moderate | 4.2 days | $85–140/truck | ↑ +3 vs Q4 | Live |
| Accra → Abidjan | Road | 64 | GHS/XOF low | 2.8 days | $30–55/truck | ↓ −4 improving | Live |
| Dakar → Bamako | Road/Rail | 28 | XOF stable | 1.1 days | Minimal | Stable | Pilot |
| Lagos → Cotonou | Road | 92 | NGN/XOF high | 5.1 days | $120/truck | ↑ worsening | Live |
| Apapa → Douala | Sea | 71 | XAF/NGN moderate | 3.8 days | $65/TEU | Stable | Pilot |
Full heatmap requires Pro
All 54 AfCFTA corridors · Live border delay · FX overlays · NFF scores · Checkpoint ground truth
5 Specialist Analysis Agents
Dedicated AI analysts for market intelligence, trade routing, policy monitoring, deal flow, and narrative scanning. Each draws from the full ROAD-1 data layer. Free tier: 3 agent queries.
Hedge-fund grade intelligence brief: macro context, 5 key metrics with live numbers, 3 risk factors rated HIGH/MED/LOW, and opportunity signals. Draws from live May 2026 ROAD-1 data.
Port recommendations with friction score/100, cost per TEU, dwell time, PAPSS vs SWIFT per $10K, AfCFTA tariff eligibility, and corridor risk rating.
Central bank rate decisions, AfCFTA tariff changes, port infrastructure announcements, active trade disruptions, and one concrete action to take this week.
M&A transactions last 90 days, FDI commitments, DFI deployment (AfDB/IFC/Afreximbank with deal sizes), valuation benchmarks, and live pipeline signals. For PE and hedge fund analysts.
Narrative Friction Flag analysis: Western media distortion vs Afreximbank/AfDB/UNCTAD data reality. Structured output: Friction Flag → Data Correction → Corridor Impact → Score 1–10.
Embed ROAD-1 in your institution
Banks, port authorities, hedge funds, and logistics operators integrate ROAD-1 intelligence directly into ERP, TMS, trading systems, and treasury platforms. One integration — 54 corridors, live.
- 5 friction predictor queries
- 3 NTB corridor previews
- PAPSS savings calculator
- Published methodology
- Unlimited friction predictor
- All 54 AfCFTA corridors + trends
- FX overlays with confidence intervals
- Full PAPSS intelligence + setup guide
- Vessel tracking (MarineTraffic)
- All 5 intelligence agents unlimited
- Everything in Pro
- Full REST API with JWT auth
- Webhooks for real-time corridor alerts
- White-label + custom branding
- Dedicated account manager
// ROAD-1 Friction Score API const response = await fetch('https://road-1.io/r1api.php', { method: 'POST', headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' }, body: JSON.stringify({ action: 'friction_score', corridor: 'apapa-tema', commodity: 'cocoa', quantity_mt: 20, include_papss: true, include_nff: true }) });
Enterprise use cases