The federal government has launched the “Cross-Border Digital Payments and Identity in Nigeria Under the AfCFTA” report, urging stakeholders to unlock trade opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to access the $3.5 trillion African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market.
The high-level report, hosted by Office of the Vice President, in collaboration with ODI Global, under the Supporting Investment and Trade in Africa (SITA) programme, was unveiled on Monday by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hadejia, in Abuja.
Hadejia described the research as both timely and strategic, highlighting the strong coordination by Office of the Vice President and the leadership of Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
He disclosed that the cross-border payments report followed earlier milestones, including the development and launch of Nigeria’s Digital Trade Strategy and a capacity-building programme for subnational leaders.
According to him, Nigeria is increasingly assuming a leading role in shaping the digital trade agenda across the African continent, necessitating that the country remains at the forefront of AfCFTA implementation.
