The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, has said that Nigeria is fully prepared to trade within Africa under the preferential terms of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, having fulfilled key obligations required for effective participation.
Oduwole disclosed this during the presentation of the Nigeria AfCFTA Achievements Report 2025, where she confirmed that the Federal Government had gazetted all relevant legal instruments needed to domesticate the agreement and its protocols. According to her, Nigeria has complied with the protocols on trade in goods and services, as well as the digital trade framework, thereby clearing major regulatory hurdles to seamless continental trade.
She explained that the ministry has taken concrete steps to position Nigerian businesses to compete and succeed within the AfCFTA market, noting that the agreement presents vast opportunities for local manufacturers, exporters and service providers. Oduwole said the government’s focus is to ensure that Nigerian products and enterprises benefit from improved market access and preferential treatment across African markets.
The minister added that capacity-building initiatives, policy alignment and stakeholder engagement have been prioritised to help businesses understand and leverage AfCFTA provisions. She stressed that Nigeria’s readiness under the agreement would boost exports, enhance industrial growth and strengthen the country’s role as a major trading hub on the continent.
Oduwole reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the private sector, stating that sustained implementation of AfCFTA-related reforms would create jobs, attract investment and deepen regional economic integration. She urged Nigerian businesses to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the agreement to expand their footprint across Africa.
