Speaking at the West Africa Economic Summit in Abuja on Friday, June 20, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, called for urgent reforms to break down barriers that continue to fragment African markets.
“Our businesses cannot scale if our markets remain fragmented,” she said, stressing the need to dismantle “both tariff and non-tariff barriers that impede the flow of goods, services, and people.”
Oduwole said Nigeria was playing a leading role in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), adding that the country had recently gazetted a provisional schedule of tariff concessions after receiving presidential approval.
“Nigeria is repositioning itself as a premier destination for long-term investment,” she noted, citing “over $50 billion in tracked investment interest since May 2023.”
