Nigeria reduces AfCFTA export certificate processing to 24 hours

The Federal Government reduced the processing time for African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Certificates of Origin to 24 hours, down from over five days, in a bid to boost intra-African trade and ease business for Nigerian exporters. Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the 2026 Third Quarter meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee. The minister stated that Nigerian goods remain competitive and are in high demand across the continent. She cited the recent Nigeria-Botswana AfCFTA Trade Mission where CSO Fashion Academy secured an immediate order to supply 6,000 T-shirts to a Botswana business. Oduwole noted that a lot of Nigerians have the perception that Nigerian goods are not competitive on this continent. She emphasized that Nigerian entrepreneurs have shown they can compete anywhere in the world and are doing particularly well in the rest of Africa. According to her, the country's non-oil exports have grown exponentially due to increased trade across Africa. A survey of 13 eastern and southern African countries showed high demand for shea butter, zobo drink, plantain chips, prepacked jollof rice, female apparel and wigs. To facilitate exports, the minister said Nigeria opened an air cargo corridor with Uganda Air last year and added another airline this year.