FG Pushes Nigerian Startups for Continental Expansion Under AfCFTA

The Federal Government has urged Nigerian entrepreneurs, startups, and digital businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area by expanding beyond local markets and driving cross-border trade across Africa.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, made the call during discussions at the Biashara Africa 2026, where she challenged African leaders, businesses, and policymakers to remove barriers limiting trade and investment across the continent.

According to a statement released on Thursday, Oduwole said the AfCFTA agreement had moved beyond negotiations and entered a critical implementation stage that requires practical action capable of creating real economic opportunities for Africans.

She noted that Africa had spent years negotiating and signing trade agreements, stressing that the continent must now focus on building stronger commercial partnerships, improving market access, and supporting businesses ready to operate across borders.

Speaking as the incoming Chair of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers, the minister said recent developments across the continent showed that African governments were beginning to back political commitments with concrete reforms aimed at accelerating regional integration.

Oduwole particularly commended the Government of Togo for removing visa requirements for African passport holders and investors travelling into the country for short stays.

She described the decision as a major breakthrough for mobility, trade, and investment within Africa, adding that it represented a strong signal that the continent was gradually moving from policy discussions to real implementation.

According to her, reducing restrictions on movement would help eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that continue to discourage trade, investments, and business partnerships among African countries.

The minister also stressed that the long-term success of AfCFTA would depend not only on government policies but on the willingness of African businesses, innovators, manufacturers, and technology-driven enterprises to expand into new markets across the continent.

“The future of AfCFTA will not be built by policy alone. It will be driven by enterprises, innovators, manufacturers, digital platforms, and entrepreneurs who are ready to trade,” she said.

She added that Africa’s growing population and market size present enormous opportunities for startups and businesses prepared to build continental value chains and compete globally.