Nigeria has delivered her first cargo shipment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) guidelines at Mombasa Port, Kenya.
The National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Olusegun Awolowo, was quoted in a state issued by the Office on Sunday as confirming the safe delivery in line with the decision reached at the African Union’s 31st Ordinary Assembly meeting.
According to the Office, the cargo consisted of synthetic filaments manufactured by Lucky Fibres Limited (Lush), a subsidiary of the Tolaram Group, and was exported under AfCFTA preferential trade terms, as part of Nigeria’s drive towards the realization of the continental body’s vision.
A Senior Trade Expert at the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Olusegun Olutayo, described the maiden shipment of cargo from Nigeria to Kenya as a desirable development under the AfCTA pact to promote cross-border trade in the continent.
He described the delivery of Nigeria’s first consignment under the pact as signifying a new era of trade-driven prosperity for Africa, particularly its potential to transform the continent’s economic landscape.
He enthused: “In times of escalating geopolitical tension and looming geoeconomic fragmentation, AfCFTA presents a perfect opportunity for Africa to leverage trade as a strategic instrument for enhanced market access among state parties. This is a historic moment, a realisation of the vision of our continent’s founding fathers and mothers.
“These reforms have been instrumental in positioning Nigeria as a key player in the trade pact”, he added.”
The trade expert, who noted the current reforms by the Federal Government had aided the country’s participation in AfCFTA and advanced the continent’s goals of industrialisation and economic integration, lauded the Kenyan government for its cooperation on the implementation of the trade pact, which exemplifies the true spirit of the AfCFTA’s agreement.
Specifically, Olutayo commended the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Kenya AfCFTA Implementation Committee, and the Kenya Revenue Authority for their roles in ensuring the success of the regional initiative.
