Nigeria pushes for one-stop digital market across Africa — Afriborder

By Victor AhiumaYoung

Nigeria has stepped forward as a frontrunner in driving digital trade across the continent, with a call for urgent collaboration to unlock the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, says Lola Aworanti-Ekugo, CEO of Afriborder Limited.

Stakeholders say the country is positioning itself as the “digital trade champion” of AfCFTA, but stress that stronger partnerships and faster policy action are critical.

Speaking on the sidelines of the just-concluded WTO Public Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, Aworanti-Ekugo, said the time for Africa to act is now. She emphasized that Nigeria and the rest of the continent must work together to harmonize systems, adopt global best practices, and embrace digital tools to transform trade.

“There must be stronger engagement between the public and private sectors to effectively domesticate AfCFTA’s policies. The urgency is clear: the world is watching, and Africa must speak more to itself and harmonize its systems.

Rather than reinventing the wheel, the continent can adopt and adapt existing frameworks already developed by the World Trade Organization (WTO). Deeper collaboration with the WTO is critical to identify standards that can be applied within Africa while also leveraging lessons from economies facing similar challenges outside the continent.”

“A stronger bond between stakeholders will provide Nigeria—and Africa at large—exposure to global best practices and ensure smoother implementation of the digital trade protocol.

“At the same time, Nigeria must increase its export capacity. This requires first understanding what African markets truly need. For example, a farmer producing mangoes in Nigeria may not know which African countries have demand for that product. Reliable data is urgently needed to help identify such opportunities. By developing effective market intelligence, strengthening standardisation, and introducing the right policies, Nigeria can boost exports that meet international standards.

“Equally important is the development of digital identity systems, digital payments, and data policies that align across the continent. These tools will make trade seamless, removing the current inefficiencies where businesses often have to move money outside the region before being able to complete local trade transactions.

“The WTO’s initiative on digital trade is a welcome development. As the Director-General noted, this has been a long time coming and represents one of the first significant agreements to take shape. Beyond digital trade, areas like fisheries also present opportunities, particularly through subsidies that can support businesses. However, access to information is key. Many small businesses must first be formalized in order to benefit from these agreements.

“The challenge now is for Nigeria and other African countries to act swiftly—aligning policies, strengthening collaboration, and harnessing digital tools to unlock the full benefits of AfCFTA and global trade integration.”

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