Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to leading Africa’s economic transformation through innovation, skills development, and sustainable trade, as the nation continues to reposition itself within the evolving global trade architecture.
Speaking during a high-level plenary session at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES#31), a representative of the Federal Government highlighted Nigeria’s strategic agenda to transition from a commodity-dependent economy to one driven by value-added exports, innovation, and sustainability.
The session, which focused on Africa’s place in the global economy, underscored Nigeria’s leadership in shaping the continent’s trade and investment outlook under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
According to the speaker, the government’s trade reforms are geared towards reducing trade costs, enhancing logistics efficiency, and strengthening product quality standards, all of which are crucial to building a globally competitive export economy.
“Nigeria’s trade agenda is clear — to move from exporting raw commodities to exporting innovation, skills, and sustainability. Through targeted reforms, we are creating the foundations of an economy that can compete and lead under AfCFTA,” the official stated.
The plenary also emphasised that as global supply chains continue to realign, Africa stands at a pivotal moment in shaping its future economic trajectory — with Nigeria positioned to lead the continent’s integration into emerging global markets.
The Nigerian Economic Summit, organised annually by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, serves as the country’s premier policy dialogue platform for fostering partnerships between the public and private sectors.
📸 Photo Credit: Oluwasegun Oke
