This handbook provides a policy-driven decision framework for central banks across Africa to explore, design, and deploy central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Issued by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the publication establishes a five-step strategic implementation pipeline and an archetype-based methodology to address Africa's structural, monetary, and technological diversity. Key topics include policy alignment, technical and regulatory readiness, governance frameworks, cost-benefit models, cross-border payments, and regional trade corridors under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).