The Federal Government said it is shifting its focus on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) from policy commitments to measurable outcomes in trade, investment, production and job creation, as Nigeria seeks to deepen its participation in the continental market.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this at the third quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee (CCC) in Abuja.
Oduwole said Nigeria’s assumption of the chairmanship of the Bureau of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers, coupled with its role as co-champion of the Digital Trade Protocol, had placed a greater responsibility on the country to demonstrate practical leadership in implementing the agreement.
She said the country’s priority was to ensure that the benefits of AfCFTA were reflected in the activities of businesses and ordinary Nigerians rather than remaining at the level of policy discussions.
“We meet at a particularly important moment for Nigeria. This is an opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate the kind of leadership, coordination and practical implementation that the AfCFTA requires,” she said. She said Nigeria must translate its AfCFTA commitments into increased trade, investment, production, jobs and prosperity.
