Nigeria’s implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area has recorded significant progress, according to the newly released AfCFTA implementation scorecard by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office.
The report credited the strides made during the tenure of the late National Coordinator, Olusegun Awolowo, whose leadership was described as instrumental in advancing Nigeria’s participation in the continental trade agreement.
Titled “The Nigeria AfCFTA Consolidated Implementation Report for 2024–2025,” the document highlights major milestones including Nigeria’s formal participation in AfCFTA trading arrangements, strengthened institutional coordination, and increased engagement with the private sector and development partners.
The report notes that Nigeria’s implementation journey during the review period marked a transition from preparatory groundwork to concrete execution of AfCFTA commitments, supported by improved institutional capacity and stronger stakeholder collaboration.
Speaking on the development, Acting National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Olusegun Olutayo, said the scorecard reflects the country’s growing readiness to maximize the opportunities presented by the continental trade agreement.
He added that the report also reaffirms the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fully harness the economic potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Olutayo explained that the Coordination Office will continue to strengthen institutional frameworks, expand exporter participation, and increase Nigeria’s trade footprint across African markets.
A major highlight of the report is Nigeria’s participation in the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative, which served as a pilot platform for preferential trade among participating African countries. Under the initiative, Nigeria successfully completed its first AfCFTA-compliant shipment, marking a significant milestone in the country’s integration into the continental trading system.
The report also reveals that the Coordination Office intensified efforts to improve trade facilitation mechanisms and engagement with stakeholders across government institutions, the private sector and sub-national entities to promote export readiness.
Capacity-building programmes were also expanded to equip exporters, customs officials and regulatory agencies with a better understanding of AfCFTA rules and procedures, particularly the Rules of Origin governing preferential trade under the agreement.
The report further underscores progress in digitalization, with initiatives aimed at integrating AfCFTA processes into national trade information systems to improve transparency, facilitate data exchange and enhance monitoring of cross-border trade activities.
It also documents Nigeria’s progress in operationalising several AfCFTA protocols covering trade in goods and services, digital trade, investment, competition policy and intellectual property rights.
The full report is available via the AfCFTA Coordination Office portal.