Women and youth entrepreneurs in Nigeria are set to benefit from improved access to African markets following the validation of the Market Access Guide and E-Commerce Platform under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking at the Nigeria AfCFTA Validation Workshop in Lagos, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA) Economist Mamudou Sebego highlighted that the initiative would increase visibility for entrepreneurs under AfCFTA.
“This marks the third consultative engagement between the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordinating Office, UN-ECA, and Nigerian businesses, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of women and youth in cross-border trade,” Sebego stated.
The platform and guide are designed to streamline trade processes, increase product visibility, and connect vendors with buyers across Africa.
It is expected to address key challenges, including logistics bottlenecks and complex export documentation, which have long hindered small business owners.
Sebego outlined three primary objectives of the platform: boosting product visibility, facilitating vendor-buyer connections, and enabling seamless cross-border transactions.
He stressed the need for collaboration among government agencies to ensure effective AfCFTA implementation.
“Processes such as registration, product verification, and customs documentation remain under the jurisdiction of institutions like the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and the Nigeria Customs Service. The e-commerce platform will integrate these regulatory processes over time rather than override them,” he explained. The Representative of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordinating Office, Franca Achimugu, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to implementing AfCFTA policies.
“Nigeria has taken a significant step by joining the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI), a pilot phase of AfCFTA aimed at testing trade processes among participating nations. Since joining in June 2024, Nigeria successfully shipped its first consignment to Kenya in September, which arrived in December 2024,” Achimugu said.
While the pilot phase revealed areas requiring adjustments, she noted that Nigeria was well-prepared to fully engage in AfCFTA.
She emphasized that access to information was just as crucial as financial support in boosting competitiveness for women and youth in trade.
“This initiative is helping us identify opportunities across Africa and understand the requirements for each market,” she added.
Speaking also, the President of the Association of Women in Fashion Tech, Bukola Ajani, commended the platform but raised concerns about production costs.
“This initiative functions similarly to Amazon and Alibaba, allowing business owners to sell products without the need to travel. However, challenges like high energy costs and currency fluctuations remain a major concern,” Ajani said. With additional support, she expressed optimism that Nigerian entrepreneurs could showcase their products across Africa and beyond.
The National President of the Organisation of Women in International Trade (OWIT), Dr. Blessing Irabor-Oza, described the guide and platform as transformative for women-led businesses.
“Some of our members already export to the UK and US, but this will enable many more women to tap into the African market. The e-commerce platform will provide visibility for our products and simplify payment systems,” she said.
She emphasized the global demand for Nigerian fashion and beauty products, such as African fashion and shea butter, stating that with proper packaging and quality standards, Nigerian businesses could compete on an international level.
Women’s Coordinator for the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Margaret Adepetu, also welcomed the initiative but stressed the need to address fundamental economic challenges.
“While digital tools are beneficial, tackling high fuel costs and strengthening the naira is crucial for our products to remain competitive,” she said.
The event was graced by government representatives, stakeholders, entrepreneurs, and partners.
