Nigeria Risks AfCFTA Losses Without Standards, Experts Warn at NEPC Forum
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, has urged Nigeria to prioritise product quality, strong branding, and certification if it must fully harness the trade opportunities offered under the agreement.
The call was made in Abuja on Friday, at the NEPC Re-Energized Webinar 6.0 themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s AfCFTA Potentials.”
Franca Achimugu, representative of the National Action Committee (NAC) on AfCFTA, warned that tariff liberalisation alone would not guarantee success for Nigerian exporters.
She stressed that the real determinant would be how well Nigerian goods meet international standards and gain visibility in Africa’s competitive markets.
In her words, “The opportunity Nigeria has in AfCFTA is the same opportunity other countries have, our winning strategy must be built around standards, branding, and certification. It is not enough for products to be price-competitive; but must be trusted and certified to enter formal markets across Africa.”
The AfCFTA, which came into effect in January 2021, brings together 54 of Africa’s 55 countries to trade under reduced or zero tariffs. While “developing” countries are expected to phase out tariffs on 90 percent of tradable goods by the end of 2025, Nigeria and other “least developing” economies have until 2031 to fully implement the zero-duty regime.
Customs Emphasises Compliance
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), said it was prepared to enforce AfCFTA protocols but warned that poor documentation and substandard goods could jeopardise Nigeria’s participation.
Nafiu Isiyaku, Comptroller of Customs in charge of Trade Facilitation, revealed that an electronic AfCFTA portal for Certificates of Origin has been launched, alongside training of officers at key entry points.
“AfCFTA is not just about lowering tariffs,” Isiyaku stressed. “It is about standards, documentation, and rules of origin. If we fail to get these right, our exporters will lose opportunities.”
NEPC Highlights Export Growth
Contributing, Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nonye Ayeni, reported that non-oil exports grew by 20.7 percent in 2024 and by another 19.59 percent in the first half of 2025, valued at $3.22 billion.
She said cocoa and cocoa derivatives remained strong performers, but stressed the need for diversification and value addition to tap into AfCFTA’s $3.4 trillion continental market.
NEPC’s Director of Market Access, Akitsunde Forlorosho, said Nigeria’s comparative advantage lies in manufactured and value-added products such as urea fertiliser, noodles, cosmetics, and soaps — all of which are gaining traction across 38 African markets.
“The data shows that while Nigeria’s global exports are still largely agro-products, our real potential in Africa lies in manufactured goods,” Forlorosho said. “SMEs must rise to meet AfCFTA’s rules of origin, packaging, and standards to dominate intra-African trade.”
Nigeria Trails Regional Rivals
Despite being Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria lags behind South Africa and Egypt in intra-African trade.
In 2022, Nigeria’s exports to Africa, including oil, were valued at $6 billion compared with South Africa’s $28 billion.
By 2023, Nigeria’s performance improved to $7 billion, nearly equalling Egypt’s exports.
Warning Against Dumping
Experts cautioned that without strengthening manufacturing, standards, and certification, Nigeria risked becoming a dumping ground for foreign goods once tariff barriers are lifted.
The forum concluded that tariff preferences alone would not be enough. Nigeria’s ability to compete under AfCFTA would depend on building trusted African brands capable of withstanding regional competition..
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