The African Development Bank, in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, has launched a technical workshop to strengthen trilateral trade cooperation among Nigeria, Benin, and Cameroon.
The two-day workshop, which opened on Thursday at the AfDB office in Abuja, seeks to refine and expand trading mechanisms among the three countries in line with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Nura Rimi, represented by the Director overseeing his office, Mohammed Abbas, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to scaling up intra-African trade.
He said, “In these times wherein the global trade architecture is being tested, Nigeria is committed to scaling up intra-African trade, and especially the full and beneficial implementation of the AfCFTA. Trade among ourselves presents a unique and strategic pathway to shared prosperity.”
He also underscored the historical and cultural bonds linking the three countries. “With our partners in the Benin Republic and Cameroon, we have close and familiar relationships. We not only share borders, but cultures and people,” he added.
On his part, AfDB’s Nigeria Country Department Director-General, Dr Abdul Kamara, represented by the bank’s Regional Integration Coordinator, Ometere Omoluabi-Davies, said the workshop comes at a critical moment for Africa’s economic integration. “It aligns with the continental priorities of deepening trade integration, accelerating the development of trade-enabling infrastructure, and policy harmonisation,” Kamara noted.
He stressed the importance of an integrated approach to trade facilitation. “Combining one-stop border posts with value chain initiatives such as special economic zones along key transport corridors will ensure efficient use of resources for greater results,” he said.
Highlighting AfDB’s investment record, Kamara disclosed: “To date, the bank has invested over $55bn in trade-enabling infrastructure and continues to support programs that enhance the participation of women and young people in the African market.”
Also speaking, the Technical Adviser and Coordinator of AfCFTA Implementation for Cameroon, Mr Cham Bama, emphasised the need to move AfCFTA beyond agreements to action. “Free trade agreements are not self-executed. They must be translated into concrete action by robust operational mechanisms and coordinated effort from all stakeholders,” Bama said.
He hailed the impact of the AfDB-backed Bamenda–Enugu Corridor, which he described as a game-changer for cross-border trade. “Before this infrastructure, movement from Bamenda to Enugu took six days. Today, it is done in four hours,” he noted.
However, he identified challenges with quality and standards testing infrastructure as barriers to seamless trade. “Most of our imports into Nigeria are subjected to certification hurdles, and many businesses lack the documented warehouses needed to meet these requirements,” he said.
