The Federal Government has urged Nigerian startups and digital businesses to take advantage of opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area to expand beyond local markets and drive cross-border trade across Africa.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, made the appeal during discussions at the Biashara Africa 2026 forum, stressing that the AfCFTA has moved beyond negotiations into a critical stage of implementation.
According to a statement issued on Thursday, the minister said African countries must now prioritise practical implementation of agreements that would translate into economic opportunities for businesses and citizens.
Dr. Oduwole, who also serves as the incoming Chair of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers, noted that recent policy decisions across the continent indicate growing efforts to align political commitments with reforms aimed at strengthening regional integration.
She said, “Africa has negotiated, signed, and agreed. Now, Africa must trade.”
The minister described the decision by the Government of Togo to remove visa requirements for African passport holders and short-term business investors as a significant step toward enhancing mobility, trade, and investment on the continent.
She commended Togolese authorities for what she described as decisive action capable of advancing the objectives of the AfCFTA agreement.
According to her, “This is another important signal that Africa is moving from aspiration to action.”
Dr. Oduwole explained that easing travel restrictions across African countries would help eliminate bureaucratic barriers that often discourage business partnerships, trade, and investments.
She further stressed that the success of the AfCFTA would depend not only on government policies but also on the willingness of African businesses, innovators, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs to scale across borders.
“The future of the AfCFTA will not be built by policy alone. It will be driven by enterprises, innovators, manufacturers, digital platforms, and entrepreneurs who are ready to trade,” she stated.
As part of efforts to deepen implementation of the continental trade agreement, the minister announced the launch of the AfCFTA Startup Acceleration Programme 2026 under the AfCFTA–Korea Africa Foundation partnership.
The initiative, according to her, is designed to support 30 promising African startups seeking opportunities to expand beyond the continent and gain access to international markets, particularly South Korea.
She explained that participating startups would receive support to strengthen their business models, improve competitiveness, and position themselves for global expansion.
The minister noted that Nigerian startups operating in sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, logistics, agritech, manufacturing, and digital platforms stand to benefit significantly from the programme.
Dr. Oduwole encouraged eligible Nigerian entrepreneurs to apply for the initiative before the May 24, 2026 deadline.
“This programme presents a valuable opportunity for Nigerian startups to strengthen their business models, expand internationally, and position themselves for cross-border growth,” she added.
The AfCFTA, which commenced trading in January 2021, is one of the world’s largest free trade areas, bringing together 54 African countries into a single market aimed at boosting intra-African trade, industrialisation, and economic growth.
Experts have, however, maintained that trade among African countries remains low due to infrastructure gaps, visa limitations, poor logistics systems, and regulatory bottlenecks.
Nigeria, regarded as Africa’s largest economy by Gross Domestic Product, is expected to play a significant role in the implementation of the agreement due to its growing digital economy, manufacturing sector, and expanding startup ecosystem.
