Nigeria Accelerates AfCFTA Rollout to Boost Intra-African Trade Ahead of IATF 2025

As part of continuous preparations to open up economic prospects for Nigerian companies around the continent, trade players and Nigerian officials have stepped up efforts to expedite the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) implementation.

Intra-African commerce is already steadily increasing, and Nigeria is well-positioned to gain much more, according to Hon. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, commerce, and Investment, who spoke at the Nigeria IATF2025 Business Roadshow in Lagos.

With the help of new trade corridors and the early success of AfCFTA’s guiding measures, intra-African exports increased by more than 13% from the previous year. In her keynote speech, she pointed out that Nigerian companies are already major players, exporting clothing, ceramics, medicines, and agricultural goods all over the continent.

In preparation for the fourth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025), the business roadshow brought together representatives of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), important government officials, and trade and investment stakeholders. * “Harnessing Regional and Continental Value Chains: Accelerating Africa’s Industrialization and Global Competitiveness through AfCFTA” was the chosen theme.

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In anticipation of IATF2025, which will take place in Algiers, Algeria, from September 4–10, 2025, the Lagos event is one of five high-level roadshows being held in key African cities, including Nairobi, Accra, Johannesburg, and Algiers. It is anticipated that IATF2025 would be a vital trade and investment forum for promoting partnerships, innovation, and economic integration across Africa.

Nonye Ayeni, the Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), emphasized the special benefits that the IATF offers to Nigeria and Africa in general.

“We now have the tools to bridge the trade gap, boost intra-African trade, and tremendously grow our economies in a sustainable and inclusive way thanks to frameworks like AfCFTA and platforms like IATF,” Ayeni stated. With 1.3 billion people connected across 54 African nations, the AfCFTA is expected to become the world’s largest single market. In order to support equitable growth in Nigeria and around the continent, we must create value chains that are competitive, sustainable, and well-organized.

Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, also spoke at the forum and emphasized the tangible and quantifiable impact that IATF has had in the brief period since its founding.