The Sea Empowerment Research Centre says repositioning Nigeria’s air cargo governance is critical to the competitiveness of the African Continental Free Trade Area, trade facilitation, and national economic growth. SEREC said this in a policy brief issued on Wednesday.

The brief followed a recent dispute over tariffs between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and freight forwarders and air cargo agents.

FAAN had announced plans to review air cargo handling and port charges, but freight forwarders and cargo agents strongly opposed the move before a compromise was reached on Monday.

It said that in the evolving AfCFTA environment, air cargo plays a decisive role in facilitating high-value, time-sensitive intra-African trade. It also supported non-oil exports such as agro-produce, pharmaceuticals, and manufactured goods, while enabling Nigeria’s participation in regional value chains and enhancing national competitiveness relative to peer African aviation hubs.

“Globally, air cargo is increasingly recognised as critical trade infrastructure, not a subsidiary aviation function. Countries that succeed under AfCFTA will be those that minimise logistics costs, ensure predictability and operate trusted, secure supply chains,” said the brief.

According to the brief, the government should introduce AfCFTA-sensitive safeguards to protect priority export sectors from excessive cost escalation during the implementation phase.

“Ensure aviation charges support, rather than undermine regional trade competitiveness. Air cargo policy must evolve into a strategic enabler of trade, competitiveness and economic growth.

“The Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, acting on behalf of the federal government, is uniquely positioned to drive holistic air cargo reform, restore stakeholder confidence,” the brief added.

It also urged the government to align aviation policy with national trade and AfCFTA objectives. The brief noted that decisions taken presently would determine whether Nigeria would emerge as a leading AfCFTA air cargo hub or cede that advantage to competing African economies.

However, the document pointed out that Nigeria’s air cargo system continued to exhibit “fragmented governance, inconsistent policy implementation, weak linkage between tariffs and service performance and underutilisation of internationally recognised regulated agent regimes”.

These gaps, it warned, could make Nigeria a high-cost, low-efficiency cargo hub, threatening government efforts to diversify exports and expand trade, and the government’s efforts to elevate air cargo to a national trade policy priority by officially recognising it as a strategic trade infrastructure critical to AfCFTA participation.

The brief urged the government to institutionalise a permanent Air Cargo Policy and Tariff Framework through a National Air Cargo Economic and Trade Facilitation Committee.

SEREC said the committee should include the FAAN, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Customs, airlines, freight forwarders, exporters, and other relevant MDAs.

(NAN)