The Federal Government has launched the inaugural Nigeria East/Southern Africa Air Cargo route , which marks the implementation of the negotiated 50% price reduction for the Nigeria Exporters and Nigeria’s participation in African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The event which took place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on May 25, 2025 is in line with the present administrations efforts on accelerated economy diversication through cargo exports.
During the event, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole described the launch as a milestone that transforms AfCFTA from a political agreement into a practical reality for Nigerian exporters, especially for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Oduwole commended the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for its technical and financial support, particularly in co-developing a new AfCFTA Market Intelligence Tool, which will be launched on May 26 to help Nigerian businesses decode regulatory environments and identify high-potential markets across East and Southern Africa.
She also acknowledged the important role the Ministry of Aviation, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is playing to streamline clearance and logistics to make the corridor operational.
The Minister said the new corridor is a homegrown African solution created to overcome the barriers that have held back regional commerce.
Developed in partnership with Uganda Airlines, the route is part of a wider government effort to reduce the high costs and long delivery timelines that have always affected intra-African trade.
Air freight costs for Nigerian exporters will be cut by 50%, with special rates available to members of leading national business associations such as Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) ,Nigerian Association Of Small And Medium Enterprises (NASME), Nigerian Association Of Small Scale Industralists (NASSI), and Women Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines & Agriculture (WCCIMA).
The corridor is expected to be expanded in future phases, potentially including additional African partners and logistics hubs.
“This corridor is more than a logistics initiative. It is a strategic trade enabler accelerating regional integration and unlocking new opportunities for Nigerian exporters. The AfCFTA tariffs are now gazetted. The time for preparation is over. The time for action is now.
“This solution is built by Africans, for Africans , capitalizing on Nigeria’s strategic location, our role as AfCFTA Digital Trade Co-Champion. These flights are not just carrying goods they are carrying the commitment, ambitions, and resilience of Nigeria’s entrepreneurs,” she said.
