AfCFTA lifts Nigeria’s intra-African trade by 21% to $9.02bn in 2025

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Nigeria recorded a 21 per cent increase in intra-African trade in 2025, with total trade rising to $9.02 billion as the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) continued to unlock new export opportunities and deepen regional commercial integration, as businesses leveraged preferential market access and lower trade barriers.

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The latest African Trade Report 2026 released by Afreximbank showed that Nigeria’s trade with the rest of Africa increased from $7.47 billion in 2024 to $9.02 billion in 2025, consolidating the country’s position among the continent’s leading intra-African trading nations.

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According to the report, the growth was driven by Nigeria’s intensified focus on regional commerce and deliberate efforts to leverage opportunities under the AfCFTA to reduce trade barriers and expand export markets across Africa.

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While crude oil remained Nigeria’s dominant export to African markets, the report noted increasing diversification of the country’s export basket. Key non-oil exports included chemicals, plastics and rubber products, processed agricultural goods, food products, urea and cement.

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The development comes as Nigeria seeks to reduce its dependence on traditional export destinations outside Africa while positioning local manufacturers to tap into the continent’s fast-growing consumer market.

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The report stated: “Elsewhere in West Africa, the value of Nigeria’s trade with the continent grew from $7.47 billion to $9.02 billion. Crude oil was a dominant feature in Nigeria’s exports to Africa. Other key exports included non-oil manufactured goods such as chemicals, plastics and rubber products, processed agricultural goods and foodstuffs, urea and cement.”

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Afreximbank added that Nigeria stepped up efforts to deepen intra-African trade by leveraging the AfCFTA to widen market access and lower trade costs for domestic exporters.

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It identified the gazetting of Nigeria’s Provisional Schedule of Tariff Concessions in April 2025 as one of the year’s major milestones. The move enabled Nigerian products to qualify for preferential tariffs across AfCFTA member states while granting reciprocal access to imports from participating African countries.

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The bank also highlighted new logistics initiatives, including a dedicated air cargo corridor linking Nigeria with East and Southern Africa, saying the initiative is reducing transportation costs and improving the competitiveness of Nigeria’s intra-African trade.

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