Government plans nationwide production push to boost non-oil exports and competitiveness across Africa
Nigeria is preparing to significantly expand its participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in 2026, with the Federal Government planning to identify at least one export-ready product from each of the country’s 774 local government areas.
The move forms a key pillar of Nigeria’s AfCFTA Agenda for 2026, aimed at scaling up production, accelerating non-oil exports and positioning the country to compete more effectively within the African single market.
The agenda builds on progress recorded in 2025 and is designed to deepen Nigeria’s integration into the continent-wide trade framework by unlocking production capacity at the grassroots level.
Oversight of AfCFTA implementation in Nigeria is led by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, with coordination handled by the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee (CCC) in collaboration with development partners across both public and private sectors.
To stimulate AfCFTA-oriented production nationwide, the Ministry and the CCC plan to roll out a countrywide awareness and sensitisation campaign, targeting producers, businesses and sub-national governments.
According to the agenda document, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment will work closely with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and state governments to identify a minimum of one product from each local government area that can be competitively exported into the AfCFTA market.
“FMITI will collaborate with state governments to identify a minimum of one exportable product per local government area for the AfCFTA market,” the report stated.
Beyond boosting local production, the 2026 AfCFTA agenda places strong emphasis on strengthening the policy and regulatory environment to support full implementation of the agreement and its protocols. The Ministry is expected to lead efforts to align national regulations with AfCFTA requirements and improve compliance across institutions.
The plan also includes simplifying AfCFTA rules and trade procedures through targeted business-focused publications, alongside measures to improve inter-agency coordination and accountability among public institutions involved in trade facilitation.
On investment and industrial development, the agenda prioritises the mobilisation of both domestic and foreign investment to rapidly expand productive capacity in strategic sectors.
According to the document, investment efforts will focus on positioning Nigeria as a central hub for innovation, production and distribution within the AfCFTA market.
In addition, Nigeria plans to upgrade its trade data systems to better monitor AfCFTA trade flows, including detailed data on goods, services and participation by women and youth. The country also intends to scale up continental and global advocacy efforts while hosting major trade-related events ahead of the Intra-African Trade Fair scheduled for 2027.
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