By Jennete Ugo Anya
Africa’s largest trade pact promises access to a vast continental market. Yet the benefits will depend less on signatures than on the legal and institutional work that follows. Nigerian lawmakers now say that process must begin in earnest.
The National Assembly recently has pledged to accelerate legislative action aimed at fully domesticating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. The move is intended to ensure that Nigeria’s commitments under the continental trade framework translate into practical economic outcomes.
The commitment was outlined at the opening of a three-day capacity building workshop focused on the role of lawmakers in implementing AfCFTA and its eight associated protocols. The programme brought together legislators, parliamentary staff, and trade policy experts to deepen understanding of Nigeria’s obligations under the agreement.
President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, said that international agreements cannot deliver results unless they are integrated into national legal systems. Represented by Senator Ibrahim Khalid, the Senate President noted that ratifying the AfCFTA treaty marked only the first step.
According to him, the real challenge lies in ensuring that national legislation, policies, and institutions reflect the commitments made at the continental level.
Sen. Akpabio described the AfCFTA as a historic opportunity to reshape Africa’s economic future. The agreement seeks to create a single African market with more than 1.4 billion consumers and a combined economic output valued in trillions of dollars.
He cautioned, however, that the scale of the opportunity demands careful legislative attention. Lawmakers must examine the agreement’s protocols in detail and craft policies that strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness while protecting domestic industries that may face adjustment pressures.
The Senate President also called for a systematic review of existing trade related laws. Areas such as customs administration, competition policy, intellectual property protection, and digital commerce regulation may require updates to ensure consistency with the continental framework.
Beyond legislation, Akpabio stressed the importance of parliamentary oversight. According to him, sustained scrutiny by the National Assembly will be necessary to monitor implementation and ensure that Nigeria’s national interests remain protected.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, echoed similar concerns. Represented by Chairman of the House Committee on Treaties, Agreements and Protocols, Hon. Rabiu Yusuf, the Speaker described AfCFTA as one of Africa’s most ambitious economic integration initiatives.
He said that turning the agreement into measurable gains would require coordinated implementation across government institutions. In this process, the legislature has a crucial responsibility to provide the legal and policy framework required to operationalise Nigeria’s commitments.
The Speaker also highlighted the National Assembly’s role in allocating financial resources for trade related reforms. He explained that modernising customs operations, supporting micro and small businesses, strengthening trade infrastructure, and developing monitoring systems would require sustained budgetary backing.
From the perspective of the executive branch, officials say trade integration forms a central pillar of Nigeria’s emerging industrial strategy.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senior Special Assistant on Policy, Dr. Deji Adeshile, said the country’s Industrial Policy 2025 places regional trade competitiveness at the heart of economic transformation.
Aligning domestic laws with AfCFTA provisions, he said, will help reduce trade barriers, protect investments, and improve the competitiveness of Nigerian businesses across African markets. Particular attention is expected to focus on enabling micro, small, and medium enterprises to participate more actively in cross border trade.
International partners involved in the workshop also emphasised the importance of legislative engagement. Delivering a keynote address on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Prof. Melaku Desta noted that the success of the continental agreement will ultimately depend on how effectively member states implement it domestically.
Empirical projections suggest that intra African trade could expand significantly under AfCFTA. However, these gains will only materialise if participating countries align their legal and regulatory frameworks with the agreement’s commitments.
Prof. Desta urged Nigerian lawmakers to ensure that national policies support the broader goals of continental integration while also safeguarding domestic economic priorities.
Earlier, Director -General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, described AfCFTA as one of the most far-reaching economic initiatives on the continent in recent decades.
He observed that legislatures occupy a pivotal position in the implementation process. Their responsibilities extend beyond ratification to include the enactment of enabling laws, budget approvals, and oversight of policy execution.
The three-day workshop is designed to equip legislators and parliamentary staff with a deeper understanding of AfCFTA’s legal structure and Nigeria’s responsibilities under its eight protocols.
Participants include senators, members of the House of Representatives, clerks, legislative aides, and trade policy specialists. Organisers expect the discussions to generate ideas that will guide legislative reforms aimed at positioning Nigeria to take fuller advantage of the continental trade arrangement
