By Muhammad Nur Tijani
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand value-added exports and deepen intra-African trade.
The minister made this known at AfCFTA P3 Sub-National Engagement for the North-West Geopolitical Zone in Kano.
Oduwole said Nigeria’s participation in the agreement was both strategic and imperative, noting that the country had recorded measurable progress since ratifying AfCFTA in 2020.
She highlighted key milestones including the inauguration of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee, gazetting of tariff concessions, and designation as co-champion of Digital Trade.
The minister enumerated others to include the launch of an Export Air Cargo Corridor to East and Southern Africa, which reduced logistics costs by up to 75 per cent.
According to her, the Kano engagement represents a shift from policy awareness to practical implementation, with many initiatives.
She said that the initiatives included “One Local Government, One Export Product” scheme; on-site regulatory services for exporters; and live simulations of export procedures.
Oduwole stressed that intra-African trade currently accounted for less than 20 per of Africa’s total trade, compared to over 60 per cent in Europe and Asia.
She stressed that Nigeria’s objective was to increase its share by transitioning from raw commodities to value-added goods and services.
Oduwole said the Public, Private, and Press (P3) framework adopted in Kano was designed to simplify AfCFTA processes, localise information, and deliver practical support directly to exporters, including MSMEs, women-led enterprises, and informal sector operators.
The minister added that the Kano pilot would serve as proof-of-concept for nationwide implementation across all six geopolitical zones.
She added that this would position Nigeria as a leading hub for industrialisation, job creation, and economic transformation under the AfCFTA.
Earlier, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Chris Osa, commended the Kano State Government for hosting the initiative, noting the state’s historic role as a hub of commerce and cross-border trade.
He also acknowledged the participation of governors and delegates from Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara, stressing that the success of trade policy depended on effective subnational implementation.
He described AfCFTA as a transformative opportunity for Nigeria to diversify its economy, expand non-oil exports, and strengthen regional value chains.
National Coordinator, AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, highlighted Nigeria’s leadership role in driving AfCFTA, stressing that the agreement must translate into real opportunities for businesses across the country.
The coordinator commended the Kano State Government for hosting the pilot initiative, noting the city’s historic role as a hub of commerce and cross-border trade.
She said that AfCFTA offered Nigerian enterprises, from large corporations to small traders, access to a 3.4 trillion-dollar market of 1.4 billion people.
According to her, this has the potential to shift Nigeria’s narrative from exporting raw materials to value-added goods and services.
Okala explained that the Kano engagement was designed to handhold businesses through AfCFTA processes, simplify trade procedures, and connect Nigerian suppliers with buyers across Africa.
She announced the unveiling of AfCFTA simplification tools, which she described as “The ABC Series of Doing Business under AfCFTA” published in English, Hausa, and Arabic.
In his remarks, Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir-Yusuf, described Kano as Africa’s historic commercial hub and a natural gateway for continental trade.
Yusuf, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Umar Farouk-Ibrahim, said Kano was ready to fully key into AfCFTA opportunities through industrialisation, logistics expansion and SME development.
“AfCFTA must work for the trader in our markets, the processor in our industries and the youth in our ICT hubs,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Mark Longyen