NiKCCIMA Pledges Action to Strengthen Nigeria–Kenya Trade Under AfCFTA

By Iyojo Ameh

The Nigeria–Kenya Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NiKCCIMA) has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening intra-African trade between Nigeria and Kenya under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with a focus on structured collaboration, export-ready small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), and the removal of cross-border trade barriers.

The Global President of NiKCCIMA, Arc. Bob M. Achanya, PhD, gave the assurance on Tuesday, February 18, 2026, when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Acting Coordinator of the AfCFTA Coordinating Office in Nigeria, Bar. Mrs. Patience Okala, in Abuja.

The meeting centred on strengthening intra-African trade amid rising global tariff tensions and positioning Africa to fully leverage opportunities presented by the AfCFTA framework.

In her remarks, Mrs. Okala welcomed the delegation and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to the continental trade pact. She highlighted key milestones achieved by Nigeria, including provisional tariff concessions, submission of trade-in-services commitments, and the country’s role as co-champion of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol.

She stressed the importance of engaging export-ready businesses directly and underscored the critical role chambers of commerce play in linking local products to regional markets across Africa.

Arc. Achanya noted that Nigeria and Kenya, as economic anchors of West and East Africa respectively, must work deliberately to create a seamless West–East trade corridor capable of delivering measurable results.

He described NiKCCIMA’s East–West Trade Corridor initiative as a transaction-focused platform designed to move beyond policy discussions to tangible trade outcomes.

“Our East–West Trade Corridor is built to ensure deals are structured, SMEs are mobilized, and non-tariff barriers are addressed,” Achanya said.

He outlined a three-tier governance model for the initiative: a Global Secretariat responsible for oversight and compliance; Nigeria and Kenya chapters tasked with execution and policy engagement; and sector-specific platforms where trade deals will be implemented.

Achanya also identified several persistent challenges affecting cross-continental trade, including difficulties in rules of origin interpretation, gaps in standards harmonisation, certification inconsistencies, customs documentation bottlenecks, and logistics inefficiencies.

Despite these obstacles, he said NiKCCIMA remains committed to supporting traders by preparing between 10 and 15 export-ready SMEs for entry into the corridor, documenting non-tariff barrier (NTB) cases, and hosting quarterly business roundtables dedicated to advancing corridor trade.

The delegation sought technical guidance from the AfCFTA Coordinating Office to ensure compliance with rules of origin requirements and facilitate seamless market access for Nigerian businesses targeting opportunities in Kenya.

Mrs. Okala further highlighted ongoing stakeholder sensitisation initiatives spearheaded by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, including the P3 Summit and planned subnational engagements aimed at connecting public sector officials with exporters to address implementation challenges in real time.

The meeting ended with both parties pledging closer collaboration and actionable strategies to enhance Nigeria–Kenya trade under the AfCFTA framework.

Calling for practical outcomes, Achanya said: “Let this visit mark the beginning of delivery not another meeting. If Nigeria–Kenya works, West–East Africa works; if West–East works, AfCFTA credibility strengthens.”

The engagement underscores NiKCCIMA’s resolve to translate AfCFTA frameworks into practical, measurable results while positioning Nigeria and Kenya as strategic drivers of intra-African trade.