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The intra-continental trade share in Africa is only 12%, compared to 47% in North America, 53% in Asia, and 69% in Europe. This paper shows that the lack of intra-African exports cannot simply be explained by standard gravity equation terms. The analysis investigates possible explanations and identifies factors that promote trade between African countries. Intra-African exports are found to disproportionately increase with road infrastructure, trade agreements, and declining trade costs. Diversifying the domestic economy away from natural resources and towards services is also associated with more intra-African trade. These results can guide efforts to promote African economic integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]