THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Nigeria's AfCFTA strategy: Ambition, progress and the challenge of ... In my last article, I wrote about Biashara Afrika, the premier continental business forum that brings together African heads of state, ministers, policy makers, SMEs, investors, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) implementation, and explore intra-African trade collaborations. It was the summit’s third edition which held in Togo from May 18 – 20. I explained that AfCFTA is no longer just an idea after the Agreement was signed on March 21, 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda, and commenced commercial trading in January 2021. Since then, the focus of Africa’s most ambitious economic integration project has been on achieving a single market, reshaping trade across the continent, reducing non-tariff trade barriers, and creating opportunities for investors while remembering Kwame Nkrumah’s enduring message: Africa must unite or perish. As we strive to unite and speak with one voice, African states must align their domestic strategies with the AfCFTA framework. When Nigeria signed the Agreement in July 2019 after months of stakeholder consultations, it wasn’t just joining a…

The 2026 Roadmap: Decoding Nigeria's National AfCFTA Implementation ... By March 2026, Nigeria’s engagement with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has moved decisively from policy formulation to active implementation. The Nigeria AfCFTA Achievements Report 2025, released by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) in January 2026, serves as the most comprehensive public scorecard to date. It outlines milestones achieved in 2025 and sets clear priorities for 2026, positioning Nigeria not just as a participant but as a leading voice in continental trade integration. Key highlights from the report include: Ratification of the Protocol on Digital Trade (first in Africa, November 2025). Gazetting of the Provisional Schedule of Tariff Concessions (April 2025). Publication of Nigeria’s first five-year AfCFTA implementation review. Launch of dedicated air cargo corridors (50–75% freight cost reduction to East/Southern Africa). Hosting rights secured for the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) 2026 and Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027. Completion of national mapping of digital services and ongoing 774 LGA export product identification. The national strate…

Nigeria's AfCFTA Strategy - Ambition, Progress and the Challenge of ... Ultimately, the success of Nigeria's AfCFTA strategy will depend not on policy documents alone but on effective execution. Nigeria stands at a defining moment. If implementation matches ambition, AfCFTA could become the catalyst for the structural transformation policymakers have pursued for decades, helping to shift the country from dependence on crude oil towards a diversified, export-driven economy. In my last article, I wrote about Biashara Afrika, the premier continental business forum that brings together African heads of state, ministers, policy makers, SMEs, investors, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), and explore intra-African trade collaborations. It was the summit's third edition which held in Togo from 18-20 May. I explained that AfCFTA is no longer just an idea after the Agreement was signed on 21 March, 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda, and commenced commercial trading in January 2021. Since then, the focus of Africa's most ambitious economic integration project has been on achieving a single market, reshaping trade across t…

Nigeria's AfCFTA strategy: Ambition, progress and the challenge of ... Nigeria stands at a defining moment. If implementation matches ambition, AfCFTA could become the catalyst for the structural transformation policymakers have pursued for decades, helping to shift the country from dependence on crude oil towards a diversified, export-driven economy. In my last article, I wrote about Biashara Afrika, the premier continental business forum that brings together African heads of state, ministers, policy makers, SMEs, investors, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), and explore intra-African trade collaborations. It was the summit’s third edition which held in Togo from 18–20 May. I explained that AfCFTA is no longer just an idea after the Agreement was signed on 21 March, 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda, and commenced commercial trading in January 2021. Since then, the focus of Africa’s most ambitious economic integration project has been on achieving a single market, reshaping trade across the continent, reducing non-tariff trade barriers, and creating opportunities for investors, while remembering Kwame Nkrumah’s e…

Nigeria's AfCFTA Strategy - Ambition, Progress and Challenge of ... In my last article, I wrote about Biashara Afrika, the premier continental business forum that brings together African heads of state, ministers, policy makers, SMEs, investors, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) implementation and explore intra-African trade collaborations. It was the summit's third edition, which held in Togo from May 18-20. I explained that AfCFTA is no longer just an idea after the Agreement was signed on March 21, 2018, in Kigali, Rwanda, and commenced commercial trading in January 2021. Since then, the focus of Africa's most ambitious economic integration project has been on achieving a single market, reshaping trade across the continent, reducing non-tariff trade barriers, and creating opportunities for investors while remembering Kwame Nkrumah's enduring message: Africa must unite or perish. As we strive to unite and speak with one voice, African states must align their domestic strategies with the AfCFTA framework. When Nigeria signed the Agreement in July 2019 after months of stakeholder consultations, it wasn't just joining a tre…

Nigeria’s AfCFTA strategy: Ambition, progress and the challenge of ... Nigeria’s AfCFTA strategy: Ambition, progress and the challenge of delivery, By Ehi Braimah Nigeria On Jun 17, 2026 Share In my last article, I wrote about Biashara Afrika, the premier continental business forum that brings together African heads of state, ministers, policy makers, SMEs, investors, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) implementation, and explore intra-African trade collaborations. It was the summit’s third edition which held in Togo from 18–20 May. I explained that AfCFTA is no longer just an idea after the Agreement was signed on March 21, 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda, and commenced commercial trading in January 2021. Since then, the focus of Africa’s most ambitious economic integration project has been on achieving a single market, reshaping trade across the continent, reducing non-tariff trade barriers, and creating opportunities for investors while remembering Kwame Nkrumah’s enduring message: Africa must unite or perish. As we strive to unite and speak with one voice, African states must align their domestic strategies with the AfCFTA framewo…

Nigeria's AfCFTA strategy: Ambition, progress and challenge of delivery June 11, 2026 By Ehi Braimah In my last article, I wrote about Biashara Afrika, the premier continental business forum that brings together African heads of state, ministers, policy makers, SMEs, investors, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) implementation and explore intra-African trade collaborations. It was the summit’s third edition, which held in Togo from May 18–20. I explained that AfCFTA is no longer just an idea after the Agreement was signed on March 21, 2018, in Kigali, Rwanda, and commenced commercial trading in January 2021. Since then, the focus of Africa’s most ambitious economic integration project has been on achieving a single market, reshaping trade across the continent, reducing non-tariff trade barriers, and creating opportunities for investors while remembering Kwame Nkrumah’s enduring message: Africa must unite or perish. As we strive to unite and speak with one voice, African states must align their domestic strategies with the AfCFTA framework. When Nigeria signed the Agreement in July 2019 after months of stakeholder consulta…

Nigeria’s AfCFTA strategy: Ambition, progress and the challenge of delivery, By Ehi Braimah <img width="715" height="502" src="https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2025/09/EHI-BRAIMAH-PIX.jpg?fit=715%2C502&amp;ssl=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Founder, Naija Times, Ehi Braimah" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2025/09/EHI-BRAIMAH-PIX.jpg?w=715&amp;ssl=1 715w, https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2025/09/EHI-BRAIMAH-PIX.jpg?resize=497%2C349&amp;ssl=1 497w" sizes="(max-width: 715px) 100vw, 715px" /><p>In my last article, I wrote about Biashara Afrika, the premier continental business forum that brings together African heads of state, ministers, policy makers, SMEs, investors, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) implementation, and explore intra-African trade collaborations. It was the summit’s third edition which held in Togo from [&#8230;]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/888332-nigerias-…