Nigeria on Tuesday assumed the chairmanship of the Bureau of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers Responsible for Trade, declaring that Africa must move beyond policy commitments to measurable economic outcomes that create jobs, strengthen industries and expand opportunities for over 1.4 billion people across the continent.
Taking over the leadership at the 18th Meeting of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers in Abuja, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, pledged that Nigeria would work with every member state “in a spirit of partnership, solidarity and shared purpose” to ensure that Africa’s biggest trade agreement delivers practical benefits rather than remaining a legal framework.
Her assumption of office comes at a defining moment for the continental free trade agreement, as negotiations on virtually all major legal instruments have now been concluded, shifting attention to the far more difficult challenge of implementation.
“The AfCFTA remains our strongest instrument for unlocking Africa’s productive potential, expanding intra-African trade, creating jobs, and positioning our continent as a formidable player in the global economy,” Oduwole told trade ministers, development partners and business leaders gathered in Abuja.
She added that Africa’s responsibility “is no longer to negotiate the Agreement, but to ensure that it delivers tangible benefits for our businesses, producers, women and youth entrepreneurs, and ultimately, for the over 1.4 billion Africans whose prosperity depends on our collective resolve.”
A New Phase for Africa’s Largest Trade Agreement
Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, said the adoption of the remaining annexes under the Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights earlier this year effectively concluded negotiations on the legal architecture of the agreement.
According to him, the continent has now entered an implementation phase where success will no longer be measured by treaties signed but by businesses trading across borders, factories expanding production and citizens experiencing economic opportunities.
“The challenge before us now is to turn that architecture into commercially meaningful outcomes for African businesses and citizens,” Mene said.
He disclosed that commercial trade under AfCFTA preferences continues to grow, with more than 10,000 Certificates of Origin issued by the end of March 2026, providing concrete evidence that businesses are increasingly using the agreement.
Afreximbank projects Africa’s total trade to grow by about 10 per cent this year, while intra-African trade is expected to reach approximately 230 billion dollars, driven increasingly by manufactured goods and agri-food products rather than raw commodities.
Nigeria Positions Itself at the Centre of Continental Trade
Oduwole said the country has already taken several domestic steps to maximise opportunities under the agreement.
These include operationalising the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, developing a National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy, submitting its tariff concession schedules, and filing commitments under the Protocol on Trade in Services.
Nigeria has also expanded stakeholder engagement through its Public Sector, Private Sector and Press (P3) Summit, simplified public understanding of the agreement through multilingual AfCFTA educational materials, strengthened collaboration with businesses, and launched initiatives supporting women-led enterprises, youth entrepreneurs and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The minister noted that Nigeria has also opened dedicated air cargo corridors into Uganda and Rwanda to facilitate easier movement of exports across African markets.
Beyond conventional trade, Nigeria is positioning itself as a continental leader in digital commerce.
As Co-Champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade, the country convened Africa’s first Regional Digital Market Access and Regulators’ Roundtable, bringing together regulators and digital entrepreneurs from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa.
Nigeria also became the first State Party to approve ratification of the Protocol on Digital Trade and is aligning its domestic legal framework with its provisions.
Oduwole argued that Africa must invest in digital public infrastructure, interoperable payment systems, trusted cross-border data flows and innovation-friendly regulations if it hopes to compete in a rapidly digitising global economy.
Five Priorities for Africa
As chair of the Council’s Bureau, Nigeria unveiled five strategic priorities expected to guide implementation over the next year.
The first is accelerating implementation by ensuring member states move from commitments to concrete action through practical implementation frameworks.
The second focuses on strengthening regional value chains so African countries increasingly trade products manufactured within the continent rather than exporting raw materials.
Third is unlocking digital trade through investments in digital infrastructure, interoperable payment systems and seamless cross-border commerce.
The fourth priority seeks expanded financing for businesses, particularly women-led enterprises, young entrepreneurs and MSMEs, through mechanisms such as the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund and Financial Bootcamp initiatives.
Finally, Nigeria called for stronger partnerships among governments, the private sector, development institutions and regional organisations, arguing that no single institution can deliver the AfCFTA alone.
Modernising African Trade
Nigeria also urged member states to embrace emerging international legal instruments that simplify trade documentation.
Specifically, Oduwole encouraged African countries to adopt the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, adopted in December 2025 and scheduled for signing in Accra later this year.
According to her, the convention would legally recognise negotiable electronic cargo documents, reduce transaction costs, shorten cargo clearance periods, improve transparency and strengthen confidence across international supply chains.
She argued that paperless trade documentation could significantly improve port efficiency, customs operations and Africa’s competitiveness in global trade.
Implementation Remains Africa’s Biggest Test
Mene urged countries that have not established National AfCFTA Implementation Committees or developed implementation strategies to do so urgently.
He also called on governments to domesticate AfCFTA protocols, gazette tariff schedules, integrate the agreement into national development plans and allocate dedicated funding for implementation.
“The next phase of the AfCFTA will depend on effective implementation at our borders, along trade corridors, and within our domestic institutions,” he said.
READ ALSO:
- Nigeria Ready for AfCFTA Preferential Trade — Oduwole
- Africa’s Future Lies in Digital Trade, AfCFTA Sec. Gen.
- Nigeria Moves to Protect Innovation as WIPO Opens First Sub-Saharan African Office in Abuja
- Nigeria Unveils Fibre Optic Plant to Strengthen AfCFTA Competitiveness
Although the continent has a young and rapidly growing population, Mene noted that Africa currently accounts for only 0.5 per cent of global patent registrations, 2 per cent of trademarks and 1.3 per cent of industrial designs.
To address this gap, he called for the early establishment of the AfCFTA Intellectual Property Office, which would provide a continental registration system for innovators while helping commercialise African research and creativity.
The Secretary-General also warned that implementation of the agreement could be slowed by declining external development assistance and inadequate funding.
He urged African Union institutions to prioritise predictable and sustainable financing for the AfCFTA Secretariat, describing adequate funding as indispensable to Africa’s industrialisation and economic transformation agenda.
Nigeria’s emergence as Chair of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers places Africa’s largest economy at the centre of one of the continent’s most ambitious economic integration projects at a time of rising global protectionism, geopolitical uncertainty and shifting supply chains.
For Nigeria, the leadership role is both an opportunity and a test. While the country has positioned itself as a champion of continental integration through digital trade reforms, export facilitation and support for MSMEs, its success as chair will ultimately be judged not by declarations issued in Abuja, but by whether African businesses trade more easily across borders, manufacturers expand production, young entrepreneurs access new markets and the promise of a single African market begins to translate into tangible prosperity.
As Oduwole concluded, Africa must now move “from ambition to execution; from commitments to measurable outcomes; and from fragmented markets to one integrated and prosperous African market that creates opportunities for every African business and every African citizen.”
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.