AfCFTA Can Drive Africa’s Growth Only Through Value Addition, Says Nigeria’s Trade Coordinator

By Dorcas Francis Koji

The National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Office, Patience Okala, has urged African countries to prioritise value addition to their natural resources, warning that the continent cannot achieve meaningful economic transformation by continuing to export raw materials.

Okala made the call during the Streamsowers & Köhn 20th Anniversary Business Forum, where she highlighted the importance of industrialisation and local processing in unlocking the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, the trade agreement is designed to do more than eliminate tariffs. It is intended to promote industrial growth, create jobs and strengthen intra-African trade by encouraging value addition across key sectors of the economy.

“AfCFTA is not only about tariffs; it is also about value addition. Africa has to stop exporting raw materials. We need to add value and ensure that beneficiation is done on the continent,” Okala said.

She stressed that the long-term success of the continental trade agreement would depend on effective implementation rather than the signing of agreements alone.

According to her, the true impact of AfCFTA will be measured by the ability of businesses to access new markets, conduct seamless cross-border trade and benefit from the economic opportunities created under the agreement.

Okala disclosed that Nigeria has intensified efforts to implement the trade pact under the leadership of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole. She noted that the government has developed simplified AfCFTA guides in six languages to help businesses better understand the provisions of the agreement and maximise available opportunities.

She also called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulatory institutions and the private sector to remove barriers hindering trade and investment across the continent.

“As we move from policy to implementation, our collective responsibility is to ensure that the opportunities created by AfCFTA become practical realities for businesses, particularly MSMEs, women-owned enterprises and young entrepreneurs across the continent,” she said.

Okala maintained that strengthening regional cooperation and promoting value-added production would be critical to achieving the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area and accelerating Africa’s economic development.