Abuja: The Federal Government is ramping up efforts to promote freer movement across Africa as part of its strategy to boost trade, investment, and implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, emphasized these initiatives during an interview, following the Biashara Afrika 2026 Forum recently held in Togo.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Oduwole highlighted that trade cannot flourish where there are restrictions on the movement of entrepreneurs and investors. She stressed that facilitating the easier movement of people, goods, and investments is essential to unlocking opportunities within the AfCFTA framework. The minister noted that Nigeria is committed to dismantling barriers that hinder trade and business mobility across African markets.
Oduwole reiterated that mobility is critical to AfCFTA’s success and mentioned Nigeria’s commitment, alongside other African nations, to the free movement of people, services, and
investments. Although visa policies are determined by individual countries, there is growing support for business-friendly travel across the continent. She praised Togolese leadership for eliminating visa requirements for African travelers, aligning with AfCFTA’s vision of deepening regional integration and expanding intra-African trade.
The minister also commended Rwanda’s progressive visa policy, which has strengthened business travel, tourism, and regional investment. Nigeria is actively engaging with the AfCFTA Secretariat, African Union, and bilateral channels to simplify visa procedures, focusing on visa-on-arrival arrangements and mutual recognition of business travel documentation. Several African countries have already introduced reforms that ease market access for Nigerian business travelers.
Addressing trade barriers, Oduwole mentioned that Nigeria is working through the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol and enhancing customs cooperation. She stated that digital trade facilitation, improved transport
connectivity, and better logistics would help reduce business costs across African borders.
While Nigeria cannot dictate timelines for other countries, Oduwole expects continued progress as AfCFTA implementation advances. She believes that freer movement will create opportunities for trade, investment, jobs, and economic growth across Africa. Easier travel will enable businesses to access markets, attract investment, and expand exports, benefiting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), women-led businesses, and non-oil exporters.
Oduwole pointed out the Nigeria-Uganda Air Cargo Corridor initiative, which, in collaboration with Uganda Airlines, aims to improve exports to East Africa by reducing cargo costs and enhancing access for exporters, particularly SMEs and women-owned businesses. Similar trade facilitation partnerships are being expanded with RwandAir to improve regional connectivity, demonstrating practical efforts to lower logistics costs beyond policy discussions.
The minister identified challenges
such as non-tariff barriers, fragmented regulations, high logistics costs, cross-border payment difficulties, business mobility restrictions, and regulatory uncertainty for digital firms as key issues that need addressing. To accelerate AfCFTA implementation, Nigeria has gazetted its Provisional Schedule of Tariff Concessions (PSTCs) and established dedicated air cargo corridors, which have reduced freight costs significantly.
In addition, Nigeria is implementing the National Single Window to simplify domestic trade processing and has mapped over 200 digital service firms across 17 sectors to strengthen regional digital trade. Oduwole affirmed Nigeria’s focus on reducing trade costs, improving market access, and ensuring businesses fully benefit from AfCFTA preferences.