FG rallies govt, business, media to drive AfCFTA implementation

By Joy Baba-Yesufu

Nigeria yesterday convened its inaugural Public-Private-Press (P3) Summit in Abuja, bringing together senior government officials, business leaders and media executives to strengthen national coordination for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The summit, organised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) in collaboration with the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee (CCC), and supported by Afreximbank and other partners, was held under the theme “AfCFTA Simplified: Seizing Opportunities for Government and Business to Win Together.”
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said Nigeria is making steady progress under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by leveraging trade integration, diversification and renewed industrial capacity.
Describing the AfCFTA as “one of the world’s most ambitious economic integration initiatives,” covering a $3.4 trillion market of 1.4 billion people, she said Nigeria’s economic ambitions are inseparable from active participation in the continental market.
Dr. Oduwole highlighted milestones recorded in 2025, including high-level AfCFTA engagements hosted by Nigeria, the inauguration of the CCC, advances in digital trade, the gazetting of tariff concessions, an air cargo export corridor, a market-intelligence platform for exporters and Nigeria’s successful bid to host major continental trade events.
She announced the unveiling of two new Trade Intelligence Tools and the CCC National Action Plan Framework, stressing that the next phase of implementation requires “clear responsibilities, measurable performance, and unified communication across all sectors.”
Permanent Secretary, Amb. Nura Abba Rimi, hailed the summit as a landmark convergence of the “three pillars of national transformation.” He reaffirmed Nigeria’s responsibility to lead AfCFTA implementation as Africa’s largest economy, citing progress in customs reforms, MSME sensitisation, tariff offers, and the establishment of the CCC.
In his remarks, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, called for stronger governance alignment and clarity of roles across institutions to enable Nigeria to fully harness the agreement’s opportunities.
Representing the private sector, Engr. Jani Ibrahim commended the initiative, emphasising that private enterprises remain committed to driving regional value chains and industrial growth.