The Federal Government, yesterday, launched simplified books and toolkits aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), easing trade procedures and boosting non-oil exports.
The new resources, available in English, Arabic, and Hausa, are designed to promote inclusivity and prepare Nigerian businesses for opportunities in continental trade.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, unveiled the initiative in Kano during the North-West Subnational Tour and Public-Private-Press (P3) engagement on AfCFTA implementation.
She said the materials were designed to simplify trade rules, including rules of origin, customs procedures, standards compliance and market entry requirements, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and informal traders.
According to her, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at ensuring that prosperity reaches citizens at all levels.
“We are here to make trade practical, simple and actionable. Many businesses still struggle with export procedures, and this engagement is to close that gap,” she said.
Oduwole announced that regulatory agencies would remain in Kano for days to provide on-the-spot services, including business registration, product certification, and issuance of certificates of origin for exporters.
She also unveiled plans for live export simulations and hands-on training sessions for businesses, adding that the Federal Government had introduced the “One Local Government, One Export Product” initiative to promote grassroots production.
“We want every local government to identify at least one product they can export to Africa. We are making the process easy and immediate,” she added.
The minister further disclosed that Nigeria had recorded major gains under AfCFTA implementation, including the launch of an air cargo corridor that reduced freight costs by about 75 per cent across selected African routes.
She noted that Nigerian products such as food items, textiles and processed goods were already gaining strong demand across African markets.
In his remarks, Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf described Kano as Africa’s historic commercial hub and a natural gateway for continental trade.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Farouk-Ibrahim, the governor said Kano was ready to fully key into AfCFTA opportunities through industrialisation, logistics expansion and SME development.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Chris Isokpunwu, explained that the engagement marked a shift from policy awareness to practical implementation of AfCFTA at the grassroots.
He said the newly launched books and toolkits would help businesses better understand trade procedures and move from interest to actual exports.
Similarly, the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Khalil Halilu, said the agency was committed to supporting local manufacturers to improve product quality and scale production for African markets.
On her part, Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs Nonye Ayeni, said the country recorded $6.1 billion in non-oil exports in 2025, the highest in its history.
Also, the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, said the new toolkits, described as the “ABCs of doing business under AfCFTA,” were produced in multiple languages to ensure inclusivity.
She added that Nigeria had made progress in digital trade protocols, tariff concessions and cross-border trade facilitation.
Just last month, the AfCFTA Secretariat selected Nigeria to be the pilot country for implementing its Simplified Trade Regime (STR) in West Africa. This framework aims to simplify procedures for small-scale traders involved in cross-border trade, offering easier access to regional markets and facilitating greater economic integration across the continent.
Speaking, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, noted that Nigeria’s role in supporting small-scale traders is critical to advancing intra-African trade and overcoming the challenges posed by complex customs procedures and high transaction costs.
A delegation from the AfCFTA Secretariat, led by Pedro Estevao, had visited the country to engage with the NCS and expedite implementation of the STR at the NCS headquarters in Abuja.
