The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, plans to align policy and regulatory systems to fully implement the African Continental Free Trade Area, while improving the monitoring of AfCFTA trade flows to capture the engagement of women and youth.

The ministry, in a policy document, stated that the agenda forms part of Nigeria’s AfCFTA work programme for 2026, aimed at deepening implementation, strengthening institutions and positioning the country to maximise opportunities from the continental trade pact.

The ministry stated that it would “lead efforts on regulatory alignment with the AfCFTA Agreement and Protocols to ensure significant legal, economic, and developmental benefits for Nigeria.”

It added that “regulatory clarity and legal certainty will contribute to business confidence and foster economic growth, competitiveness and sustainable development.”

Discussing trade data and monitoring, the ministry stated that it would work with the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee to upgrade Nigeria’s trade data systems.

“The AfCFTA CCC will update the relevant trade data systems to include disaggregated metrics to capture trade in goods and services under the AfCFTA,” it said, adding that the systems would also “measure the level of participation of Nigerian women and youth in AfCFTA trade.”

The ministry also said it would intensify efforts to demystify the AfCFTA for businesses and other stakeholders.

It stated, “FMITI and the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee will publish a series of briefs aimed to demystify the architecture and implementation modalities of the AfCFTA.”

According to the document, the AfCFTA ABC Series will guide the private sector on key protocols covering trade in goods, digital trade, investment, trade in services and women and youth in trade. Meanwhile, the AfCFTA Understanding Series will outline private sector compliance obligations.

The ministry noted that the AfCFTA CCC would introduce an AfCFTA Institutional Barometer to strengthen coordination and accountability.

“The AfCFTA CCC will publish the AfCFTA Institutional Barometer to foster public accountability on the efficiency and effectiveness of AfCFTA implementation,” it said, noting that a certification and award system would also recognise “high-performing and responsive public sector institutions.”

Looking outward to the continental market, the ministry said it would mobilise AfCFTA-ready production across the country through nationwide sensitisation.

It stated that it would work with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and state governments “to identify a minimum of one product that each Local Government Area can export into the AfCFTA market.”

The ministry added that investment mobilisation would prioritise expanding productive capacity in key sectors “to position Nigeria as the innovation, production and distribution hub of the AfCFTA market.”

As part of framing a national AfCFTA market strategy, the ministry stated that it would develop a trade intelligence platform to provide Nigerian businesses with market insights from across Africa.

“The platform will provide insights into other markets to inform Nigerian businesses as they navigate the African market,” it said.

The ministry also stated that Nigeria would continue to promote global and regional advocacy for the AfCFTA and provide technical assistance to other state parties “as requested”.

On implementation milestones, the document recalled that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, inaugurated the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee in March 2025 to strengthen whole-of-economy coordination.

It said Nigeria became “the first AfCFTA State Party to conclude and publish a review of AfCFTA implementation at the five-year mark” in July 2025, describing the review as “an honest and objective self-reflection” that informed key actions.

The ministry added that the AfCFTA CCC convened a Public Sector, Private Sector and Press Summit in November 2025, which “kickstarted a nationwide AfCFTA sensitisation and consultation campaign.”

On continental influence, the document noted that Nigeria secured hosting rights for the Creative Africa Nexus 2026 and the Intra-African Trade Fair 2027, describing the fair as “Africa’s largest marketplace.”

It also recalled that President Bola Tinubu was appointed a co-champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade in February 2025, with Nigeria later winning the right to host the second AfCFTA Digital Trade Forum.