…says Nigeria building efficient borders across Africa
President Bola Tinubu on Monday said Nigeria’s trade with African countries has already exceeded projected intra-African trade estimates by as much as 13 percent in 2024.
The President, who stated that intra-African trade is projected to expand from 15 percent in 2023 to 25 percent by 2030 under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework, said Nigeria’s non-oil exports to African markets increased by 38 percent year-on-year in 2024.
He also revealed that cargo clearance time at major seaports has reduced by about 30 percent since 2023.
Speaking in Abuja when he declared open the Customs Pact – Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade, the President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, expressed delight to be part of the event, which brought together partners and leaders from across the continent, saying it demonstrates a collective resolve to discard the old habit of accepting slow borders as destiny.
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He added that his administration is committed to building an Africa where borders are efficient enough to facilitate trade and economic opportunities rather than hinder them.
The President, however, urged African nations to be disciplined in working towards building borders that meet the demands and rapid pace of contemporary technological advancement.
Tinubu noted that while nations exist to complement one another, size, resources and talent are inconsequential if they are trapped behind inefficient borders and fragmented markets.
“Nigeria remains firmly committed, structurally and operationally, to building an Africa that trades by design, where integration is practical, measurable and effective. Our ambition is simple: a continent where borders facilitate opportunities rather than inhibit them,” he said.
Maintaining that fragmented markets cannot achieve industrial scale, negotiate effectively with global powers or withstand external shocks, he stressed that integration enables large-scale industrialisation, collective bargaining strength and resilient supply chains.
According to him, Nigeria is approaching this responsibility with practical systems and infrastructure rather than rhetoric, adding that the strength of a continental market must be engineered, not declared.
The President stated that while Africa has already taken the hardest step by agreeing on integration through the AfCFTA, what is crucial now is execution.
“Success will be judged not by communiqués but by real outcomes: shorter border-crossing times, reliable local-currency settlements and efficient movement of goods across borders and ports. Our vision must translate from conference halls to the daily experiences of traders, manufacturers, logistics operators and farmers,” he said.
Tinubu recalled that the need to deliver the dividends of democracy informed his administration’s decision to reform structural barriers to trade and investment, remove bottlenecks that limit competitiveness and rebuild institutions for efficient regional integration.
To achieve this, he said, the administration moved quickly to unify the foreign-exchange market, remove fuel subsidies to redirect resources to critical infrastructure and modernise port operations with 24-hour clearance.
According to him, “we adopted the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System to boost intra-African trade, and we prioritised non-oil export growth across key sectors. These reforms reinforce one another, creating a coherent foundation for stronger continental commerce and competitiveness. Each decision was a step towards a Nigeria that trades with confidence and an Africa that negotiates from a position of strength.
“We believe that our institutions have been deliberately aligned into a unified trade-enablement architecture, dismantling the traditional silos that once separated agencies. The Nigeria Customs Service now advances digital clearance systems and risk-based inspections.
“The Nigerian Ports Authority drives port efficiency. The Central Bank enables local-currency settlements through PAPSS. The Standards Organisation harmonises product standards with continental frameworks. NEPC and NEXIM Bank strengthen export readiness and provide targeted financing.
“This coordinated, integrated institutional approach is essential for successful continental integration, for no single agency can deliver the scale of reform required for Africa’s prosperity.”
On the level of impact of the collective reforms on the nation’s economy, the President said it “is measurable, demonstrable, and progressively accelerating.”
He disclosed that “Paper-based compliance processes are being systematically replaced through digital trade reforms and automation.
“These metrics validate a fundamental principle: when structural barriers fall and systems function predictably, African trade expands rapidly and dynamically. Outcomes are never in doubt when processes are disciplined.”
President Tinubu described the National Single Window as central to Nigeria’s continental trade strategy, assuring that phase one of the transformative digital platform will go live in March 2026, “with full rollout by December 2026.”
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“It will allow businesses to submit import and export information once through a unified portal, automate inter-agency data sharing and real-time processing, apply risk-based compliance to speed up clearance for legitimate traders, and cut cargo clearance time from twenty-one days to under seven.
“This will significantly boost port productivity. Fully aligned with AfCFTA digital frameworks, the National Single Window positions Nigeria as a continental standard-bearer for customs digitalisation and seamless intra-African commerce,” he further stated.
Earlier, Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, represented by Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Minister of State for Finance, urged relevant authorities in Africa to continue to dismantle barriers that hinder trade and revenue generation.
She stressed that the Nigerian government remains committed to supporting modernisation initiatives within customs administrations and aligning with global best practices aimed at creating a business-friendly environment.
The minister further expressed Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring that the AfCFTA delivers tangible benefits for citizens while improving the ease of doing business at the borders.
For her part, Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said that under President Tinubu’s decisive leadership, the administration has achieved a unified exchange rate, strengthened fiscal discipline and is on course to accelerate regional economic integration under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She maintained that Nigeria’s commitment to AfCFTA implementation remains unwavering, while urging participants to build an Africa that trades more with itself.
Also, Ian Saunders, Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), applauded the ongoing reforms by the Tinubu administration, assuring that the WCO stands with Nigeria in facilitating legitimate trade.
He also commended Africa’s customs chiefs for their efforts in incorporating modern standards into their operations, adding that leadership, investment and consolidating gains in customs administration remain critical.
Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice-President of Afreximbank, endorsed modernisation as a positive initiative adopted by several customs administrations, including Nigeria.
For his part, Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Customs, urged relevant authorities and stakeholders to adopt cross-country trade facilitation and integration, emphasising, “We cannot continue to work in silos.”
According to Adeniyi, the primary outcome of the engagement in Abuja, which involved all African regions, is to ensure that customs administrations are more actively engaged in AfCFTA implementation while strengthening dialogue and mutual understanding between customs authorities and the private sector across the continent.
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of AfCFTA, assured that the Secretariat will work closely with the NCS to ensure that the objectives of C-PACT become a reality.
