Abuja: The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, has announced that Nigeria is making progress in advancing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by engaging more deeply in regional and continental trade systems. This statement was made during the inaugural African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Public-Private-Press (P3) Summit held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the summit, themed ‘AfCFTA Simplified: Seizing Opportunities for Government and Business to Win Together,’ highlighted Nigeria’s strategic moves to align with the evolving global economic landscape of 2025. Oduwole emphasized Nigeria’s focus on diversification, industrial capacity, and leveraging intra-African trade opportunities as key elements of its economic strategy.
The minister described AfCFTA as one of the most significant economic integration projects of modern times, encompassing a market of 1.4 billion people with an estimated value of 3.4 trillion dollars. She stressed that Nigeria’s economic aspirations are closely linked to active participation in this continental marketplace, underscoring the benefits of intra-African trade for value retention and job creation.
Oduwole reiterated the Ministry’s dedication to positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the AfCFTA era. She outlined key achievements recorded in 2025, such as hosting high-level AfCFTA engagements, inaugurating the CCC, advancing digital trade leadership, and granting tariff concessions for AfCFTA goods. Additional accomplishments include the launch of an air cargo export corridor, the publication of a market intelligence tool for exporters, and winning bids to host major continental trade events.
The minister emphasized the importance of detailed and coordinated planning for the next phase, involving all sectors. Government institutions will adopt a performance barometer to track responsibilities, while the private sector will define strategic pillars for Nigeria’s AfCFTA market vision. The press will play a crucial role in ensuring accurate and constructive public communication.
She also highlighted the need to diversify Nigeria’s export basket, expand services exports, align regulations to attract investment, and enhance the technical capacity of Nigerian businesses to scale across Africa. The unveiling of two new Trade Intelligence Tools and the CCC National Action Plan Framework was also announced, which are seen as vital instruments for guiding Nigeria’s participation in the AfCFTA.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, stressed the necessity for coordinated structures, clarity of responsibilities, and a consistent commitment to national economic transformation. He urged all stakeholders to deepen collaboration as Nigeria works towards its AfCFTA goals.
Private sector representative Mr Jani Ibrahim, through Mr Suleiman Audu, praised the summit organizers for bringing together public, private, and media actors, reaffirming the private sector’s commitment to strengthening regional value chains, boosting industrialization, and driving investments to support continental integration.
Dr Halima Musa, Director News of the NTA, representing the press, commended the summit organizers for acknowledging the media’s role as a central stakeholder in AfCFTA implementation. She assured that the Nigerian media is prepared to support the national agenda by delivering accurate, clear, and development-oriented information to the public.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the summit was convened by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) in collaboration with the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee (CCC), supported by Afreximbank and other stakeholders. The summit aimed to deepen national understanding of the AfCFTA and align critical sectors toward its effective implementation.