The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting freer movement of people, goods and investments across Africa as part of efforts to strengthen regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said easier cross-border movement was essential for unlocking the full benefits of the continental trade agreement.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria following the recent Biashara Afrika 2026 Forum in Togo, Oduwole said Nigeria was working with other African countries to remove barriers limiting trade and business mobility.
“Trade cannot flourish when entrepreneurs and investors face unnecessary restrictions on movement. Greater mobility is critical to achieving the objectives of the AfCFTA and expanding economic opportunities across the continent,” she said.
The minister noted that while visa policies remain under the control of individual countries, there is growing support among African nations for travel arrangements that encourage business and investment.
She commended Togo for its commitment to abolishing visa requirements for African travellers, describing the decision as a major step towards regional integration and increased intra-African trade.
Oduwole also praised Rwanda’s visa policy, saying it had enhanced business travel, tourism and investment across the region.
“We are engaging through the AfCFTA Secretariat, the African Union and bilateral partnerships to simplify visa processes, including discussions around visa-on-arrival arrangements and mutual recognition of business travel documents,” she said.
According to the minister, Nigeria is also tackling trade barriers through implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, improved customs cooperation and measures aimed at strengthening transport connectivity and logistics.
She said improved digital trade systems and efficient transportation networks would lower the cost of doing business across African borders.
On the expected benefits of freer movement, Oduwole said businesses would gain easier access to new markets, attract more investment and expand exports, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, women-led businesses and non-oil exporters.
She highlighted the recently inaugurated Nigeria-Uganda Air Cargo Corridor as one of the government’s practical initiatives to improve trade with East Africa.
“The air cargo corridor has significantly reduced freight costs while improving export opportunities, especially for SMEs and women-owned businesses. We are also expanding similar partnerships with RwandAir to strengthen regional connectivity,” she said.
The minister identified non-tariff barriers, fragmented regulations, high logistics costs, payment challenges, restrictions on business mobility and regulatory uncertainty for digital businesses as some of the major obstacles to intra-African trade.
She disclosed that Nigeria had gazetted its Provisional Schedule of Tariff Concessions to fast-track AfCFTA implementation, while dedicated air cargo corridors had reduced freight costs by between 50 and 75 per cent.
Oduwole added that the Federal Government was implementing the National Single Window to simplify trade procedures and had mapped more than 200 digital service firms across 17 sectors to enhance regional digital commerce.
She reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to reducing trade costs, improving market access and ensuring local businesses fully benefit from opportunities created under the AfCFTA.
