2026-01-02 06:00:00
Reporting by Punch indicates the federal government is planning a policy and data overhaul aimed at improving Nigeria’s execution under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), including tighter coordination and clearer trade metrics.
Officials say the push is designed to make Nigeria’s participation more measurable—capturing trade flows and ensuring the country can track performance in both goods and services under AfCFTA rules.
The reforms also aim to improve policy clarity and reduce fragmentation across agencies involved in trade facilitation, border processes, and export promotion.
In Nigeria’s AfCFTA Achievements Report 2025 published via the trade ministry, the plan states the AfCFTA coordination structure will “update the relevant trade data systems to include disaggregated metrics” for AfCFTA goods and services. In a public update, the minister’s office notes Nigeria is working to “reinvigorate AfCFTA implementation” and widen effective market access for Nigerian businesses through preferential terms.
Echotitbits take: Data is the quiet engine of trade competitiveness. If this overhaul actually standardises how Nigeria counts AfCFTA trade (including informal and services flows), it will sharpen policy choices—from export incentives to port reforms. Watch for new dashboards, upgraded customs/trade reporting, and whether SMEs can access the practical “how-to-export” guidance that makes the numbers real.
Source: The Punch — January 2, 2026 (https://punchng.com/fg-plans-policy-data-overhaul-to-deepen-afcfta/)
The Punch 2026-01-02
Photo Credit: The Punch
