The federal government has stepped up efforts to help domestic firms access a $1 billion credit facility within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Adjustment Fund, and unveiled practical tools to simplify trading procedures for exporters.
Speaking at the second-quarter meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee (CCC), the national coordinator, Nigeria
AfCFTA Coordination Office,
Patience Okala, said the credit fund — managed under the AfCFTA framework and set up by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) — targets large corporates seeking to expand production, strengthen competitiveness and scale exports across Africa.
“Under the Adjustment Fund, there is a credit fund scheme of $1 billion for large corporates,” Okala told agency heads and private-sector representatives.
“The facility can be provided as a term loan, working capital, trade finance facility or project finance to support expansion, modernisation and market-entry initiatives under AfCFTA.”
She said eligible firms must be able to absorb a minimum of $10 million, meet governance and financial criteria, and demonstrate clear alignment with AfCFTA objectives such as regional value-chain integration, import substitution and industrialisation.
“We are informing the NACCIMA, ACCI that if you have companies that qualify, please reach out to the Nigerian AfCFTA Coordination Office for us to handhold you through that process,” she said.
Okala added that the office has identified five potential pilot companies — three of them women-owned or led — and will host a meeting with the Adjustment Fund team within the next month to explain opportunities and terms. “Nigerians have not yet accessed this fund and it’s for large corporates,” she said. “We hope NACCIMA, ACCI, and youth networks will notify their members so Nigeria benefits from this $1 billion.”
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole stressed that access to the AfCFTA market requires practical support and institutional readiness.
“The AfCFTA remains one of the most significant economic integration projects in our continent’s history,” she said. “With a combined market of over 1.4 billion people and a collective GDP exceeding $3 trillion, the agreement provides unprecedented opportunities for Nigerian businesses. But access to opportunities alone does not guarantee success.”
Oduwole urged government agencies and the private sector to deepen collaboration on trade facilitation. “Many businesses remain eager to export under AfCFTA but continue to face challenges around certification requirements, export documentation, standards compliance and market-access procedures,” she said.
The minister said, “The AfCFTA Simplified Initiative is therefore a critical intervention aimed at demystifying these processes.”
“Beyond stakeholder consultations, the team visited industrial and export clusters to engage directly with businesses that will drive production and value addition,” she said.
One of the session’s highlights was an AfCFTA export simulation exercise organised by the Central Coordination Committee.
“That simulation exercise turned out to be one of the most potent and impactful means of communicating the AfCFTA agenda to businesses in Kenya,”
Oduwole said, noting the launch of the AfCFTA ABC Simulation Series — a step-by-step guide for five AfCFTA protocols designed to simplify complex trade procedures.
“The ABC Simulation Series has been very well received,” she said. “During the North and West Africa Workshop on AfCFTA National Implementation Strategies convened by UNECA in Lomé, Togo, Nigeria’s series was recognised as an innovative and practical approach. While the continental requirement was for a tool for only one protocol, Nigeria developed guides for five.”
Officials said the CCC will also consider presentations on the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund’s credit window and a needs assessment to identify private-sector “tension points” for bespoke interventions. “As we move into the next phase of implementation, our priorities remain clear: strengthen interagency coordination, deepen private-sector participation, increase utilisation of market-access preferences, expand support for women and youth-led businesses and leverage financing opportunities such as the Adjustment Fund,” the minister stated.
Customs and export agencies used the meeting to clarify procedural steps. “The Nigerian Export Promotion Council gave a detailed presentation, step by step, on what it takes to be an exporter,” an official said. “The Nigerian Customs Service also explained rules of origin and how to process certificates of origin — essential for preferential access under AfCFTA.”
Oduwole urged legal and regulatory work to continue. “Work is ongoing to operationalise the AfCFTA legal framework and advance Nigeria’s domestication process. The chair of our Commerce Committee at the House of Representatives is anchoring this to ensure we complete the process within the shortest possible time and within this administration,” she said.
Looking ahead, Dr Oduwole, said Nigeria will host an AfCFTA week from the end of June into early July, officials said.
Events include an AfCFTA conference on June 29, the Council of Ministers meeting from June 30 (which Nigeria will chair), and the Digital Trade Forum from July 1–3, anchored by UNDP.
“We must maintain momentum as we prepare for our first AfCFTA week,” she said. “Nigeria continues to play a critical role this year as we elevate the discourse and implementation for the continent.”
Also speaking, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Chris Osas Isokpunwu, noted that Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation was shifting from planning to deeper operationalisation.
The permanent secretary, who was represented by the director, Special Duties, Dr Simon Om-Ezomo, said, “This meeting comes at an important stage as we move from planning and coordination towards deeper operationalisation of key AfCFTA initiatives,” he said.
“The value of this Committee lies not only in the discussions we hold but also in the actions we collectively undertake afterwards,” Dr Isokpunwu said, urging measurable outcomes for exporters, investors, women-owned and youth-led businesses.
