The Federal Government has begun training three million Nigerian exporters on the understanding and application of rules governing the export of goods under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.

The training is part of the government’s preparations to take advantage of the AfCFTA agreement. It is being implemented by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office in partnership with the World Customs Organisation.

This was disclosed recently in Abuja by the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, during the AfCFTA Rules of Origin Workshop for the Organised Private Sectors of Nigeria, SMEs, and critical stakeholders, according to a statement on Friday.

The training, which is being facilitated by the Nigeria Customs Service, aims to equip Nigerian businesses with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the rules of origin under the AfCFTA agreement.

According to the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Awolowo, the training aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in human capital development, trade expansion, and inclusive growth under the AfCFTA.

“The Rules of Origin are among the most critical instruments and a major pillar for qualifying goods for preferential access across the continent,” Awolowo said. “We need business owners to fully understand and apply these rules to participate effectively in the new continental trade regime.”

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, represented by Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs for Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, stated that Nigeria is ready to gain maximum benefits from the AfCFTA agreement and support determined exporters in expanding trade.

She highlighted the Nigeria Customs Service’s improved ICT infrastructure and the establishment of an export command as key efforts to streamline the processing and facilitation of goods for export under the AfCFTA.

The WCO Representative, Faith Mathenge, informed participants that the EU-WCO Origin for Africa Programme, funded by the European Union, was launched in July 2022 to support Customs administrations, government agencies, regional economic communities, and the private sector in implementing and applying Rules of Origin, with a focus on the AfCFTA.

“The programme, in collaboration with the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, has a clear goal of building cross-sectoral capacity in Rules of Origin to propel Nigeria into the next level of trade, including intra-African trade, trade with Europe, and trade with the rest of the world,” Mathenge said.

The training is expected to equip Nigerian exporters with the knowledge and skills needed to take advantage of the AfCFTA agreement and expand their businesses across the continent. With the training, Nigeria is poised to increase its exports and economic growth, creating new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs.

The AfCFTA agreement has the potential to transform the African economy and create a single, large market for goods and services. With the training of three million exporters on rules of origin, Nigeria is taking a significant step towards harnessing the benefits of the agreement and promoting economic growth and development.