Nigeria plans grassroots export strategy as government rolls out 2026 AfCFTA agenda
The Federal Government has announced plans to identify at least one exportable product in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas as part of efforts to grow non-oil exports and strengthen the country’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The plan was outlined on Thursday by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, during the release of Nigeria’s 2025 AfCFTA Achievements Report, which also sets the country’s trade agenda for 2026.
According to the report, Nigeria’s investment mobilisation drive in 2026 will focus on expanding productive capacity in priority sectors, with support from both domestic and foreign investors, to position the country as a central innovation, production, and distribution hub within the AfCFTA market.
Boosting Awareness and Private Sector Participation
To improve understanding of the AfCFTA framework, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), in collaboration with the AfCFTA Coordination Committee (CCC), announced plans to publish a series of explanatory briefs aimed at simplifying the trade agreement.
The briefs will guide the private sector on key areas including trade in goods, digital trade, investment, trade in services, as well as women and youth participation, while clearly outlining compliance requirements.
The ministry also disclosed plans to strengthen institutional coordination through the introduction of an AfCFTA Institutional Barometer, designed to promote transparency and public accountability.
“The barometer will help measure efficiency and effectiveness in implementation and recognise high-performing public institutions,” the ministry said.
Improved Data and Export Monitoring
To enhance monitoring and evaluation, the FMITI said Nigeria’s trade data systems will be upgraded to capture disaggregated data on goods, services, and the participation of women and youth in AfCFTA-related trade.
On the production front, the ministry said it will partner with state governments to identify at least one product that each local government area can competitively export into the continental market.
“Nigeria must position itself as the innovation, production, and distribution hub of the AfCFTA market,” the ministry stated.
Continental Leadership and Hosting Plans
The report added that the government will develop a national AfCFTA market strategy, expand global advocacy for the trade agreement, provide technical assistance to other AfCFTA member states, and prepare to host major continental events.
These include meetings of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers and the Intra-African Trade Fair in 2027.
Nigeria Sets AfCFTA Implementation Milestone
The report also revealed that Nigeria has become the first African country to publish a five-year AfCFTA implementation review, released in July 2025, in line with the agreement’s requirements under Article 28.
According to the ministry, the AfCFTA CCC, under Oduwole’s leadership, convened the AfCFTA Public Sector, Private Sector and Press (P3) Summit to deepen national understanding of the trade pact and its implications.
The summit launched a nationwide AfCFTA sensitisation and consultation campaign, which is expected to produce a national blueprint to ensure the agreement delivers tangible benefits for Nigeria.
The report further noted that Nigeria now has clearly defined institutional roles, a published national action plan, and a performance assessment framework to drive AfCFTA implementation and accountability.
In 2025, the ministry also began working with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and state governments to identify export-ready products across local governments as part of a broader national AfCFTA strategy.
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