Manufacturers call for export policy reforms to unlock AfCFTA potential

Manufacturers are calling for a sweeping redesign of export policy reforms to address trade barriers hindering competitiveness and Nigeria from harnessing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opportunities.

The manufacturers who spoke at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Export Group (MANEG), themed ‘Difficulties in Export Trading Under Multilateral Trade Agreement: A Threat to AfCFTA Implementation,’ highlighted outdated export policies, high production costs, and poor logistics infrastructure as key threats to export growth.

Odiri Erewa-Meggison, chairman of MANEG, said that exporters continue to face severe constraints, including volatile exchange rates, high energy costs, multiple taxation, port congestion, inflation, and infrastructure deficits, all of which undermine competitiveness in global markets.

Meggison noted that AfCFTA presents vast opportunities for Nigerian manufacturers, but cannot be taken advantage of, without a stable policy environment and efficient export processes.

She urged the federal government to reform export-support policies and clean up the export-expansion process to prevent the non-oil manufacturing export sector from further decline.

“We cannot continue to talk about growing exports without addressing the policy and structural bottlenecks that make our products uncompetitive in regional and global markets,” Meggison said.

Read also: Manufacturers push for trade policy review to unlock AfCFTA gains for Nigeria

Olawale Ogunkola, a trade economist, emphasised that the country must move from exporting raw materials to adding value, improve logistics efficiency, and invest in scale production to lower unit costs.

Ogunkola warned that poor implementation of trade agreements, excessive documentation, weak trade facilitation systems, and limited private-sector participation in policy formulation threaten Nigeria’s ability to benefit from AfCFTA’s tariff-free trade regime.

“Nigeria needs a coherent export policy that aligns with its industrial policy. Without that alignment, we will keep signing trade agreements without reaping real benefits.

“We must invest in scale production and efficiency if we are serious about competing in the African market. Small-scale, low-productivity activities cannot sustain competitiveness under AfCFTA,” he said noting that Nigeria must move beyond exporting raw materials to producing and exporting value-added goods, to benefit from AfCFTA.

He further called on the federal government to automate export documentation, strengthen logistics, and engage the private sector in designing trade policies that reflect real business realities.

“Automation of export documentation through a national single window system, public-private partnerships to scale up production and logistics infrastructure.

“Capacity building for exporters on international market standards, branding, and packaging, better coordination among trade agencies (NEPC, SON, NCS, etc.) to reduce inefficiencies, and address infrastructure gaps.

Jumoke Oduwole, minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, represented by Hajara Usman, acknowledged the structural and policy challenges undermining Nigeria’s ability to fully benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while assuring manufacturers that government is taking steps to address them.

According to Oduwole, non-tariff barriers, weak infrastructure, institutional inefficiencies, and limited industrial capacity remain significant obstacles to Nigeria’s export competitiveness.

She added that these challenges inflate production costs, discourage exporters, and threaten their participation in AfCFTA.

Oduwole also stated that there are several government reforms ongoing to improve export competitiveness, including digitising customs operations and streamlining documentation processes and harmonising trade standards across borders to reduce regulatory fragmentation.

“Investing in critical infrastructure, especially power, roads, and rail to lower logistics costs, strengthening inter-agency coordination to cut bureaucracy and duplication.

“Expanding support for non-oil exports through incentives, capacity building, and financing, and also setting up a technical working group to resolve pending issues with the Export Expansion Grant (EEG),” she mentioned them as other ongoing reforms.

The minister also emphasised that the government alone cannot solve these problems, calling for stronger collaboration with the private sector to ensure that Nigerian manufacturers can compete and thrive under AfCFTA.

She called for stronger collaboration with the private sector to ensure that Nigerian manufacturers can compete and thrive under AfCFTA, noting that the government alone cannot solve these problems.

“Together we can transform Nigeria from a commodity-dependent economy into a diversified export-driven powerhouse,” Oduwole said.