Nigeria has officially launched an AfCFTA air corridor aimed at boosting exports to key African markets — Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa — while cutting logistics costs for Nigerian exporters by between 50% and 75%.
The announcement was made on Sunday by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, via her official X (formerly Twitter) account.
She noted that the new corridor, which will operate via Uganda Airlines, is part of a broader effort to link Nigerian goods more efficiently to African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) markets and unlock easier access for Nigerian businesses by significantly reducing transportation barriers and costs.
“On Africa Day, we launch a bold new air corridor linking Nigerian goods to AfCFTA markets—via Uganda Airlines—cutting logistics costs by 50–75%. This opens access to Uganda, Kenya & South Africa,” Oduwole’s statement read in part.
The corridor is expected to support the export of products like textiles, cosmetics, and agro-products, helping Nigerian businesses grow. By significantly lowering logistics costs, the initiative makes it more competitive and profitable for exporters to expand their reach across the continent.
The announcement also confirmed that AfCFTA tariffs have now been officially gazetted, unlocking lower tariff rates for Nigerian exporters and further boosting trade opportunities under the agreement.
The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment reiterated its commitment to supporting Nigerian businesses as they scale across Africa through this and other initiatives under the AfCFTA framework.
What you should know
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a landmark agreement creating a single market for goods and services across Africa, promoting intra-African trade and economic integration.
In April 2025, Nigeria officially gazetted and transmitted its ECOWAS Tariff Schedule for Trade in Goods to the AfCFTA Secretariat, enabling zero duties on 90% of goods traded under the agreement. This positions Nigerian exporters for improved market access and greater competitiveness across African markets.
- Tariff reductions follow a phased 10-year strategy from 2021. By 2025, Nigeria has implemented a 50% tariff cut on goods traded with least-developed African countries and a 100% reduction for trade with developing countries, applied annually.
- Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, in April 2025, said the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol aims to increase intra-African trade from 18% in 2022 to 50% by 2030.
The air corridor launch supports exports of textiles, cosmetics, and agro-products, and builds on Nigeria’s growing leadership in AfCFTA implementation, including advancing digital trade to support SMEs and tech-enabled exporters.
