Minister unveils books, toolkits to ease business under AfCFTA

The Federal Government has launched simplified books and trade toolkits in English, Hausa and Arabic to ease business processes and boost participation of Nigerian traders under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, unveiled the initiative on Monday in Kano during the North-West Subnational Tour and […]

The Federal Government has launched simplified books and trade toolkits in English, Hausa and Arabic to ease business processes and boost participation of Nigerian traders under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, unveiled the initiative on Monday in Kano during the North-West Subnational Tour and Public-Private-Press (P3) engagement on AfCFTA implementation.
She said the materials were designed to simplify trade rules such as rules of origin, customs procedures, standards compliance and market entry requirements, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and informal traders.
According to the minister, the initiative is part of efforts to align trade facilitation with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aimed at ensuring economic opportunities reach Nigerians at all levels.
“We are here to make trade practical, simple and actionable. Many businesses still struggle with export procedures, and this engagement is to close that gap,” she said.
Oduwole disclosed that regulatory agencies would remain in Kano for several days to provide on-the-spot services, including business registration, product certification and issuance of certificates of origin for exporters.

 

She also announced plans for live export simulations and hands-on training sessions for businesses, adding that the Federal Government had introduced the “One Local Government, One Export Product” initiative to drive grassroots production and export participation.

 

“We want every local government to identify at least one product they can export to Africa. We are making the process easy and immediate,” she added.

 

The minister further revealed that Nigeria had recorded notable gains under AfCFTA implementation, including the launch of an air cargo corridor that has reduced freight costs by about 75 per cent across selected African routes.

 

She noted that Nigerian products such as food items, textiles and processed goods were already gaining traction in African markets.

 

In his remarks, Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, described Kano as Africa’s historic commercial hub and a natural gateway for continental trade.

 

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the governor said the state was ready to leverage AfCFTA opportunities through industrialisation, logistics expansion and SME development.

 

“AfCFTA must work for the traders in our markets, the processors in our industries and the youth in our ICT hubs,” he said.

 

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Chris Isokpunwu, said the engagement marked a shift from policy awareness to practical implementation of AfCFTA at the grassroots.

 

He noted that the newly launched books and toolkits would help businesses better understand trade procedures and transition from interest to actual exports.

 

Similarly, the Executive Vice Chairman of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Khalil Halilu, said the agency was committed to supporting local manufacturers to improve product quality and scale production for African markets.

 

On her part, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nonye Ayeni, said Nigeria recorded $6.1 billion in non-oil exports in 2025, the highest in its history.

 

She said AfCFTA provides a major opportunity for Nigeria to expand its export base and strengthen its position in continental trade.

 

Also, the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Patience Okala, said the new toolkit—described as the “ABCs of doing business under AfCFTA” was produced in multiple languages to ensure inclusivity.

 

She added that Nigeria had made progress in areas such as digital trade protocols, tariff concessions and cross-border trade facilitation.