Author: 9otcx

Biashara Africa Forum Postponed to November in Lomé

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has announced that the third edition of the Biashara Africa Forum will now take place from November 3–5, 2025, instead of the earlier scheduled dates of October 20–22, 2025. The forum will be hosted in Lomé, Togo, a city recognized for its active role in advancing the implementation of […]

African Parliamentary Leaders Applaud Progress in AfCFTA Implementation

The 2025 Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments held from 29th – 30th September 2025, underscored growing confidence in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a driver of continental integration and industrial transformation. Speakers from across Africa commended the AfCFTA Secretariat, led by Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, for its tangible progress in operationalizing […]

Navigating Trade Challenges: South Africa’s Economic Future Post-AGOA

The latest trade statistics from the South African Revenue Service (SARS), released on 30 September 2025, reflect both strength and vulnerability in South Africa’s economic landscape. Despite recording a R4.0 billion trade surplus, exports fell by 6.8% while imports grew by 1.9%, highlighting the fragility of the current trade balance. The decline in major export […]

Namibia’s intra-Africa exports hit N$4.7b

Namibia’s export performance continues to show impressive growth, underscoring the country’s expanding role in regional trade and investment. As of late 2024, Namibia’s total exports to African markets exceeded N$4.7 billion, while imports from the continent stood at N$7.7 billion. The country’s key export commodities — diamonds, uranium, gold, fish, and copper — continue to drive […]

New WTO-World Bank reports hail progress in advancing Africa’s digital trade

The WTO Secretariat and the World Bank have successfully completed the pilot phase of their joint initiative, “Digital Trade for Africa,” culminating in the publication of digital trade assessments for six African countries: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Rwanda. During an information session on 25 September, both organizations briefed WTO members on the project’s […]

Manufacturers Warn Proposed Tax Stamp Could Trigger Inflation and Weaken Nigeria’s AfCFTA Competitiveness

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has warned that proposed tax stamps on excisable goods would worsen inflation, shrink consumer demand, and undermine Nigeria’s competitiveness under AfCFTA. While acknowledging the gains of the 2025 Tax Act—which simplified levies and reduced compliance costs—MAN argued that tax stamps would reintroduce hidden burdens, raise production costs, and push consumers […]

Nigeria leads West African delegation to strengthen Trade ties with Malaysia

Nigeria has taken the lead in positioning West Africa on the global halal stage through a strong presence at the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2025, held on 20th September 2025, organized by MATRADE. The region was represented by 25 buyers — including eight from Nigeria — alongside participants from Senegal, Mali, and Ghana, reflecting […]

ECOWAS Moves to Review 0.5% Import Levy Amid Revenue Decline

ECOWAS member states, including Ghana, have begun reviewing the bloc’s Community Levy, a 0.5% tax on imports from non-ECOWAS countries, to address declining revenues and strengthen financing for regional programmes. The levy, which provides up to 80% of ECOWAS’s budget, has been in place for over 18 years but now faces challenges related to compliance, efficiency, […]

ECOWAS Steps Up Efforts to Implement Enhanced Trade Scheme

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is stepping up efforts to improve its Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) after a regional meeting in Accra, Ghana, from 9–12 September 2025, which identified ongoing obstacles to intra-regional trade. The ETLS, which allows duty-free movement of qualifying goods produced within the region, is central to ECOWAS’s goal […]

Climate Summit 2025: The path to COP30

The Climate Ambition Summit, held on 24 September at UN Headquarters in New York, marks a pivotal moment ahead of COP30. Designed as a focused high-level event rather than a negotiating session, it calls on world leaders, businesses, and civil society to deliver new or updated national climate pledges under the Paris Agreement. UN Secretary-General […]

OECD Seeks ‘Aid for Trade 2.0’ to Tackle Climate and Digital Inequities

The OECD’s new working paper, Aid for Trade at a Crossroads, warns that the initiative risks irrelevance unless it evolves to address climate change, digitalization, and inequality. Originally designed to strengthen trade capacity in developing countries, aid for trade has financed infrastructure, modernised customs, and supported entry into global value chains. However, the current landscape is more […]

WTO warns Africa to bridge Digital gap or miss AI-driven trade boom

The World Trade Organization’s 2025 World Trade Report and its companion study Trading with Intelligence emphasize that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a defining force in global commerce. While AI could boost world trade by up to 14 percentage points by 2040 under universal adoption and productivity growth, the report warns that uneven uptake may cut potential gains […]

The Echoes of the Eco; How To Make It a Reality.

  Article- 19th September 2025 Mercy Obed.   In the words of the world-renowned author, Helen Keller; “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. The proposed single currency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Eco, represents a seismic step towards deeper regional economic integration. At its […]

Togo surpasses South Africa as Nigeria’s top African trading partner in Q2 2025

Nigeria’s trade landscape within Africa experienced a major shift in Q2 2025, as Togo surpassed South Africa to become the country’s top African trading partner, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Nigerian exports to Togo rose dramatically from N134.8 billion in Q1 to N811.97 billion in Q2, with non-crude goods (N698.7 billion) making up […]

Nigeria, others to unlock $2.1 billion in digital trade through DCO Membership

Nigeria’s participation in the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) positions it to benefit from the recently launched Model Digital Economy Agreement (MDEA), an interoperable rulebook designed to harmonize digital trade across member states. The MDEA covers 12 core policy areas, such as trade facilitation, cross-border data flows, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, electronic transactions, payments, and SME inclusion. Once […]

Nigeria champions regional energy integration to tackle $120bn Import Bill at Africa Oil Week 2025

At the Africa Oil Week (AOW) 2025 Ministerial and CEO Leadership Forum, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership in advancing Africa’s energy security while advocating for deeper regional integration. He stressed that harmonized policies, shared infrastructure, and technical expertise are essential to address Africa’s energy poverty and […]

IATF2025 ends on high note with record $48.3 billion in deals signed by participants

The fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025), held in Algiers, Algeria from September 4–10, 2025, concluded with remarkable success, recording US$48.3 billion in trade and investment deals. Organized by Afreximbank in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the AfCFTA Secretariat, the event drew over 112,000 visitors from 132 countries, with 2,148 exhibitors and 958 […]

Nigeria’s National Single Window Project

    Nigeria is advancing a major trade reform through the National Single Window (NSW) project, scheduled for full launch in Q1 2026. Announced by Finance and Economy Minister Wale Edun, the initiative seeks to unify customs, port, and regulatory processes under one digital platform, transforming the country’s trade environment. Originally introduced in April 2024, […]

Afreximbank launches new entity to promote large-scale trade in value-added goods

  The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has officially launched the African Trade and Distribution Company (ATDC) to drive large-scale trade in raw materials, minerals, and value-added products across the continent. The entity, established through Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) in collaboration with Arise IIP, Equitane DMCC, and the AfCFTA Secretariat, was unveiled during the […]

The Rule of Law and Nigerian Democracy

The Rule of Law is the universal yardstick for good governance through out the free world. Many nations face challenges adhering to its tenets. Nigeria is no exception. Our Principal Consultant, Soji Awogbade FEI, will join a panel of experts to examine how Nigeria is faring in its bid to install and sustain a democracy, […]

Nigeria launches Air corridor to cut export costs

Nigeria has officially inaugurated a new AfCFTA air corridor aimed at boosting exports to key African markets, including Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. The initiative is expected to significantly reduce logistics costs for Nigerian exporters by 50% to 75%, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Nigerian goods across the continent. On Africa Day, the Minister of […]

Sanwo-Olu Hails AfCFTA Hackathon, Puts Youth Tech in the Spotlight

  Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has praised the organizers of the ongoing AfCFTA Hackathon 2025, describing the initiative as a transformative innovation that aligns with the state’s economic development objectives. The commendation was made on Thursday at the 2025 Science of Trade (SOT) Conference in Lagos, which included the AfCFTA Hackathon as a key […]

Nigeria’s Carbon Market Policy Set to Unlock $2.5 Billion in Investments by 2030

  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced that Nigeria’s newly finalized Carbon Market Activation Policy is poised to unlock up to $2.5 billion in high-integrity carbon credits and related investments by 2030, positioning Nigeria as a leading hub for climate-smart finance in Africa. The President made this known on Wednesday through a statement by his […]

DESPITE PAUSE ON US TARIFFS, AFRICAN ECONOMIES FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE

A temporary halt on the implementation of new US tariffs has offered a brief sigh of relief to African economies, but experts warn that the broader challenges facing the continent’s trade and industrialization ambitions remain unresolved. The United States recently announced a pause on additional tariffs targeting a range of imports from developing nations, including […]

AFRICA’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LIES IN TRADE NOT CHARITY

Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, made these remarks during his closing address at the session titled “The Africa Opportunity: Regional Collaboration and Trade Facilitation”, held at the 2025 Commonwealth Enterprises and Investment Summit in London.   During the session, which centered on how Africa can harness its 1.3 billion-strong population to drive trade and […]

DOMESTICATION OF THE AfCFTA IN NIGERIA

The successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement depends, to a large extent, on the willingness of State Parties (parties to the Agreement) to domesticate its provisions . Each country needs to incorporate its provisions into their legal and economic framework, by taking the necessary executive and legislative steps. This action of […]

AfCFTA in 2024: Progress, Setbacks, and Strategic Goals for 2025

As we approach the close of 2024, it’s essential to reflect on the progress made under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative and acknowledge both the achievements and challenges that have defined the year. The AfCFTA is poised to reshape Africa’s economic landscape, yet as we near its second anniversary in 2025, it’s […]