The federal government said it has achieved notable progress in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in 2025, boosting trade integration and private sector participation across Africa.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, stated this in a statement on Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation progress.

Ms Oduwole said that the AfCFTA remained central to Africa’s ambition to create a unified continental market through tariff liberalisation, reduced non-tariff barriers and enhanced regulatory cooperation.

According to her, Nigeria has historically championed Africa’s integration efforts, hosting landmark initiatives such as the Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty.

“In 2025, the ministry reinvigorated Nigeria’s AfCFTA agenda through coordinated institutional, policy and market-driven actions,” she said.

The minister said that Nigeria hosted the secretary-general of the AfCFTA Secretariat and Nigerian digital operators to strengthen collaboration between continental institutions and the private sector.

She noted that President Bola Tinubu was appointed co-champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade by African Union leaders.

“The appointment recognised Nigeria’s leadership in advancing Africa’s digital trade and innovation ecosystem.

“To improve coordination, Nigeria inaugurated the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee, bringing together public and private sector stakeholders,” she added.

Ms Oduwole said the committee enhanced accountability, clarity of roles and coherence across institutions implementing the AfCFTA.

She noted that Nigeria also gazetted its Provisional Schedule of Tariff Concessions, enabling Nigerian goods to enjoy preferential access across the AfCFTA state parties.

She said that the federal government submitted its Schedule of Specific Commitments on Trade in Services to the ECOWAS Commission and approved the ratification of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade.

She added that the effort was to expand market access for Nigerian digital products and services.

The minister also further noted that a national mapping of digital services was conducted, producing a directory of Nigerian digital firms across key sectors.

According to her, the federal government inaugurated an export air cargo corridor to east and southern Africa in partnership with Uganda Airlines and the UNDP.

“Market intelligence tools were also developed to support Nigerian businesses operating within African markets.

“Meanwhile, Nigeria has secured hosting rights for major AfCFTA-related events, including the Intra-African Trade Fair 2027 and the AfCFTA Council of Ministers meeting in 2026,” she noted.

Ms Oduwole said that Nigeria became the first state party to publish a five-year review of AfCFTA implementation, guiding future policy actions.

She assured that the ministry would remain committed to deepening regulatory alignment, boosting exports and positioning itself as a key production and distribution hub under the AfCFTA. 

(NAN)