By| Goodluck E.Adubazi | Abuja
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, has declared that Nigeria’s National Action Plan under the African Continental Free Trade Area must deliver tangible economic transformation, stressing that 2026 should be a year of measurable outcomes rather than policy discussions.
The minister made the statement on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2026 First Quarter meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee (CCC) held at John Wood Hotel.
Represented by her Special Adviser, Patience Okala, the minister said the meeting came at a critical time as Nigeria consolidates its leadership under the continental trade agreement and prepares for the upcoming 14th WTO Ministerial Conference.
She noted that the country must strategically position itself ahead of the global trade gathering, where key decisions on the future of the multilateral trading system will be taken.
According to her, momentum generated during the AfCFTA Public–Private–Press Summit in November 2025 reinforced the need for coordinated and measurable implementation of the trade agreement.
“The AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee must function not merely as a coordinating forum, but as a performance-driven mechanism aligned with our National Action Plan,” she said.
The minister emphasized that governance structures guiding the committee must strengthen inter-agency collaboration, improve reporting mechanisms and ensure accountability to the public.
She also announced the presentation of Volume One of the AfCFTA Business Guide (ABC Series), a simplified tool designed to help Nigerian businesses understand procedures for engaging with AfCFTA institutions and accessing continental markets.
The document, developed by members of the CCC, provides clear guidance on how businesses can leverage the trade agreement for investment opportunities, regional market access and business expansion across Africa.
The minister further disclosed that the committee had received a report from the subcommittee on the governance structure of the CCC, aimed at clarifying institutional roles, reporting lines and decision-making thresholds as AfCFTA implementation deepens.
She stressed the importance of expanding the initiative beyond federal coordination to subnational levels.
According to her, engagements have intensified with state governments, investment promotion agencies, MSME networks and industrial clusters to ensure export readiness, compliance with standards and improved logistics capacity for continental trade.
“As AfCFTA implementation advances, it must move beyond federal-level coordination into state industrial clusters, special economic zones and export corridors,” she said.
The minister also highlighted Nigeria’s participation in recent meetings of African trade ministers held in Mozambique ahead of the WTO ministerial conference scheduled to take place in Cameroon.
The discussions addressed key issues including WTO reforms, agricultural trade, digital commerce, investment facilitation and the need to strengthen Africa’s negotiating position in global trade discussions.
She noted that Nigeria played an active role in shaping Africa’s common position for the conference.
The minister added that stronger alignment between AfCFTA implementation and Africa’s global trade agenda would enhance the continent’s negotiating leverage.
She assured stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment would intensify consultations with both public and private sectors to ensure Nigeria’s trade positions at the conference align with national diversification goals.
She also stressed the need to respond to concerns raised by private sector stakeholders, including high logistics costs, limited access to trade finance, certification challenges and the need for improved payment systems and market intelligence.
“The work of this committee is not procedural; it is transformational,” she said.
“2026 is not a year for concept notes or reports. It is a year for measurable outcomes.
The institutional performance barometer must function and the National Action Plan must deliver economic transformation.”
The meeting also featured presentations on the governance structure of the CCC by Chioma-Chudi Anaukwu, feedback from the private sector by Ify Ogo, and media engagement updates by Nwando Ajene.
Other highlights included a briefing on upcoming AfCFTA activities and the roadmap for the domestication of AfCFTA instruments in Nigeria by Elom Gold Amaka.
Stakeholders at the meeting reiterated the importance of coordinated implementation, institutional accountability and strong public-private collaboration to maximize Nigeria’s opportunities under the continental free trade agreement.
