The Federal Government of Nigeria on Friday unveiled its strategy to lead Africa’s digital trade revolution under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
The strategy, the Federal Government said, is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at harnessing trade to drive economic growth and foster continental cohesion. The announcement was made during a Stakeholders Summit themed “Digital Trade in Africa: The Renewed Hope Strategy,” held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria, said that “we are in a vantage position because we are the continent’s largest ICT hub, and as such, we must lead the way to the future of this peculiar wave of the Industrial Revolution.”
“Our programmes, from the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) to the ongoing intervention to train 3 million technical talents by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, to the Outsource to Nigeria Initiative (OTNI), are lifelines in our digital economy,” Shettima said.
Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria.
Nigeria: Why AFCFTA matters
“Our collaboration must prioritise comparisons of our policy initiatives to those of developed economies and fine-tune them to sustain our place and fast-track our growth,” he added.
Shettima outlined the key components of the strategy, which include the implementation of AfCFTA’s Digital Trade Protocol and the development of expansive technical talent hubs. The plan also focuses on enhancing digital infrastructure investments, promoting disruptive innovation and entrepreneurship, and ensuring the alignment of multiple government agencies to support digital trade initiatives.
The VP stressed the need for strong public-private sector collaboration in implementing the Digital Trade Protocol, reaffirming the government’s commitment to investing in digital infrastructure and human capital development.
“Our programmes, from the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) to the ongoing intervention to train 3 million technical talents by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, to the Outsource to Nigeria Initiative (OTNI), are lifelines in our digital economy,” Shettima said.
AfCFTA, established in 2018, aims to create a single market for goods and services across Africa, boosting trade and economic growth and to “deepen the economic integration of the African continent and in accordance with the Pan African Vision of “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa enshrined in Agenda 2063.”
The digital trade protocol within AfCFTA seeks to enhance digital trade and e-commerce across the continent, promoting innovation and technological advancement.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, highlighted significant investments underway in digital infrastructure and innovative policies such as the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.
These initiatives are designed to prepare Nigeria’s youth for future opportunities in the digital economy, the Minister said noting that “the Tinubu administration is investing significantly in every aspect of the digital trade protocol, with a view to harnessing opportunities in the country and continent at large.”
Tijani also said that the “opportunities that exist within the single market area are unprecedented and could best be harnessed through effective collaboration and networking facilitated by digital technology.”
“Looking ahead, there is a need for speed and cohesion among African countries, the idea of AfCFTA must be revived and there is no hope in keeping waiting in this world, we must act swiftly and together ensure that the AfCFTA succeeds,” Dr. Salihu Dasuki Nakande, Special Assistant to the President on ICT Policy added.
The summit also featured remarks from international stakeholders. Mr. Kris Kamponi, Head of Prosperity at the British Deputy High Commission, commended the Digital Trade in Africa initiative, stating that “the United Kingdom is a proud champion of open, free, and fair trade, and the Digital Trade in Africa initiative is vital in addressing the issues relating to growing prosperity for Africa.”
In her presentation, Dr. Prachi Agarwal, Senior Research Officer at global affairs think tank, ODI, pledged its commitment to supporting the operationalisation of the AfCFTA. “The ODI firmly believes in the transformative potential of digital technology, especially in unlocking market opportunities through the AfCFTA framework; hence, its resolve to partner with stakeholders in the project.”
Home