23rd March 2026
The National Assembly has pledged decisive legislative action and stronger oversight to ensure Nigeria fully harnesses the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. Speaking at the opening of a three-day capacity-building workshop in Abuja, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said international treaties would remain ineffective without deliberate domestication and sustained parliamentary scrutiny.
Represented by Senator Ibrahim Khalid, Akpabio described AfCFTA as a historic opportunity to reposition Africa’s economy, noting that ratification alone would not guarantee results. He stressed that lawmakers must translate continental commitments into practical national outcomes through strategic legislation and effective oversight.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, said the success of AfCFTA would depend on coordinated national implementation. Represented by Hon. Rabiu Yusuf, he noted that legislative backing and adequate funding for customs modernisation, support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and trade infrastructure would be critical to making the agreement operational.
A representative of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment said Nigeria’s Industrial Policy 2025 places trade competitiveness and regional integration at the centre of the country’s industrial transformation. He noted that aligning domestic laws and institutional frameworks with AfCFTA protocols would facilitate seamless trade and improve competitiveness, particularly for MSMEs.
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abubakar Suleiman, said legislatures play a central role in the domestication of international agreements and oversight of implementation. The workshop, organised by the institute in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, aims to deepen lawmakers’ understanding of AfCFTA protocols and strengthen Nigeria’s legislative readiness for the continental trade pact.