By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government has expanded Nigeria’s implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with a new strategic partnership between the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and RwandAir to strengthen the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor, further reducing export costs and widening market access for Nigerian businesses.
The expansion, announced on Africa Day 2026, builds on the initial corridor launched in 2025 through a partnership with Uganda Airlines, which opened up discounted air cargo routes for Nigerian exporters to key African markets including Entebbe, Nairobi and Johannesburg.
Before the corridor’s introduction, exporters reportedly paid between US$3 and US$10 per kilogram to ship goods to East and Southern Africa, a cost structure that significantly weakened the competitiveness of Nigerian products across the continent.
The AfCFTA-backed initiative was designed to reverse this trend by reducing logistics barriers and improving regional trade integration.
Under the new arrangement with RwandAir, the corridor has now been expanded to include Kigali, Harare and Lusaka, while also providing a second carrier option on the Nairobi and Johannesburg routes. Cargo rates under the agreement are set at below US$2 per kilogram across all five destinations, marking a significant reduction in shipping costs for exporters.
According to the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, the initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to translating AfCFTA commitments into practical outcomes for businesses.
“One year ago, we promised that the AfCFTA would work in practice for Nigerian businesses, not only on paper,” she said, noting that Nigeria’s non-oil exports to African markets rose from US$150 million in 2024 to US$207 million in 2025.
She added that the expanded corridor would further strengthen Nigeria’s export competitiveness and deepen regional trade integration under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The project also benefited from multi-agency collaboration involving the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, and the United Nations Development Programme, alongside private sector stakeholders and business associations.
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Negotiations for the RwandAir partnership were supported by technical experts from the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa and Nigeria’s AfCFTA Coordination Office, and were linked to bilateral engagements between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Paul Kagame during the 13th Africa CEO Forum in Kigali in May 2026.
The Ministry said the corridor is expected to boost exports in agribusiness, fashion, textiles, cosmetics, light manufacturing and processed foods, while improving Nigeria’s broader industrialisation and export diversification goals.
Exporters have been encouraged to access the corridor through licensed freight forwarders or designated cargo desks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The RwandAir-operated routes are expected to be formally flagged off in June 2026.
