Nigeria’s inaugural shipment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has successfully arrived at the Port of Mombasa in Kenya, marking a historic milestone for the continent’s trade and economic integration efforts.
The Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office confirmed the development yesterday.
Senior Trade Expert at the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Olusegun Olutayo, said, “This is a historic moment—a realisation of the vision of our continent’s founding fathers and mothers.”
He added that in the face of rising global geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation, AfCFTA presents a unique opportunity for Africa to use trade as a powerful tool for boosting market access and integration among member states.
The first shipment, consisting of synthetic filament products from Lucky Fibres Limited, a subsidiary of the Tolaram Group, was exported under AfCFTA’s preferential trade terms.
Olutayo also praised President Bola Tinubu’s bold economic reforms, crediting them with enabling Nigeria’s active participation in AfCFTA.
He highlighted the role of the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Kenya AfCFTA Implementation Committee, and the Kenya Revenue Authority (Customs) for their seamless collaboration in facilitating the shipment.
“This milestone is a testament to partnership and shared vision,” Olutayo noted. “It demonstrates the transformative potential of AfCFTA to reshape Africa’s economic landscape and usher in a new era of trade-driven prosperity.”
The AfCFTA aims to create a unified market across Africa by eliminating trade barriers, encouraging investment, and fostering labor mobility. By doing so, it seeks to enhance socioeconomic development, reduce poverty, and boost Africa’s competitiveness on the global stage.
Adopted on March 21, 2018, in Kigali, Rwanda, the AfCFTA agreement came into force on May 30, 2019, and officially began in January 2021.
Nigeria’s journey toward implementation was bolstered by the establishment of the National Action Committee on AfCFTA (NAC) in December 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
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