Nigeria has officially taken over the presidency of the Council of Ministers responsible for Trade of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), succeeding Egypt at the end of the 18th meeting of this body held on June 30, 2026 in Abuja. This handover is part of the rotation mechanism adopted by the member states of the agreement.
A meeting dedicated to AfCFTA priorities
The ministerial meeting was mainly dedicated to reviewing the report of the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, as well as the conclusions of the 22nd meeting of the Committee of Senior Trade Officials and the second meeting of the Committee of Heads of Competition Authorities.
Ministers also discussed the progress of ratification of the various legal instruments of the AfCFTA. Discussions focused, among other things, on the decision of the Conference of Heads of State and Government to launch the process of selecting the host country of the Competition Authority and the Competition Tribunal of the AfCFTA, two institutions expected to play a key role in the functioning of the continental market.
A continental market with major economic ambitions
As the decision-making body responsible for implementing the agreement, the Council of Ministers examines the main strategic orientations related to the AfCFTA. The latter is considered the largest free trade area in the world in terms of number of participating countries. It brings together a market of over 1.3 billion consumers with a combined GDP estimated at nearly $3.4 trillion, with the ambition to boost intra-African trade, accelerate the continent’s industrialization, and promote job creation.
Wamkele Mene calls for accelerated implementation of the agreement
At the opening of the meeting, the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, Wamkele Mene, emphasized the strategic role of the agreement as a driver of African economic integration and the revitalization of trade exchanges between countries on the continent.
He called on member states to accelerate the effective implementation of the agreement by removing obstacles that still hinder its operationalization. According to him, a quicker implementation of the AfCFTA will allow African economies to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by this integrated continental market.
In an international context marked by geopolitical tensions and recurrent disruptions in global supply chains, Wamkele Mene considered that the AfCFTA is a strategic instrument to strengthen Africa’s economic resilience. By promoting the development of larger and more integrated domestic markets, it will enable the continent to reduce its dependence on external shocks and consolidate more sustainable growth driven by intra-African trade.
