ABUJA, NIGERIA — In a major diplomatic and economic milestone, Nigeria has been elected to lead the Bureau of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers Responsible for Trade.
Following the election, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, officially assumed office as the Chairperson of the continental body during its 18th meeting in Abuja. She succeeds the outgoing chairman, Dr. Mohammed Saleh.
The strategic appointment positions Nigeria at the forefront of driving Africa’s ambitious trade, industrialization, and economic integration agendas over the next year.
Accepting the leadership mantle, Dr. Oduwole urged member states to accelerate the implementation of the trade pact, stressing the need to transition from diplomatic commitments to tangible, growth-driven actions on the ground.
“African countries should move from AfCFTA commitments to concrete actions that deliver jobs, trade, and economic growth,” Oduwole stated. She pledged that Nigeria would collaborate closely with all state parties to establish the AfCFTA as the primary engine for continental industrialization and shared prosperity.
The Minister also advocated for enhanced financial inclusivity, calling for expanded access to resources through the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund to specifically empower small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), youth-led businesses, and women entrepreneurs across the continent.
According to AfCFTA Secretary-General Dr. Wamkele Mene, the shift toward implementation comes at a critical time. With negotiations on core legal instruments now concluded, intra-African trade is already gaining momentum, with total continental trade projected to expand by approximately 10% this year to reach an estimated $230 billion.
As the incoming chair, Nigeria is expected to oversee key continental trade committees, steering regulatory harmonizations and driving the newly established digital commerce protocols to unlock cross-border trade for a market of over 1.4 billion people.