…as Oyo leads other sub-national in Africa to launch Implementation Strategy
The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, and the Acting Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal, have declared that the AfCFTA will unlock prosperity, create employment, and boost economic growth in Oyo State and across Africa.
They made the declaration on Friday at the official launch of the Oyo State Sub-National Implementation Strategy for AfCFTA, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
Mene praised Oyo for becoming the first sub-national in Africa to develop and launch a formal AfCFTA strategy.
According to him, Oyo’s decision to integrate with the rest of Africa through AfCFTA will expand opportunities across critical sectors.
“This initiative will boost the state’s trade volume, unleash economic prosperity on the youth, the informal sector, farmers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs in the state,” he said.
He added that the launch symbolized resilience and competitiveness, with the potential to reduce poverty, improve living standards, and create sustainable jobs.
“AfCFTA is not a distant aspiration, but a present-day opportunity to unlock prosperity, create employment for young people, farmers, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers in Oyo State. The AfCFTA Secretariat stands ready to work with you to ensure this does not end as a slogan but becomes a reality,” Mene assured.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, Acting Governor Barr. Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal described the event as a clear statement of intent by Oyo State.
“What we are doing today is what scholars call para-diplomacy; engaging externally on economic matters without signing new treaties,” Lawal explained.
He outlined benefits of the strategy to include Immediate term: improving the export readiness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through training, packaging, and certification support.
According to Lawal, its long term benefit include attracting foreign direct investments and granting Oyo businesses access to Africa’s single market of 1.4 billion people.
“These steps we are taking now will ensure that long after we have left office, Oyo State will become a true trade hub for West Africa,” Lawal emphasized.
Governor Seyi Makinde, whose speech was delivered by Lawal, stressed that the strategy would assist the state in identifying priority sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and the creative industry to improve revenue.
“The initiative would attract foreign direct investment into these sectors in the medium and long term. It would also provide businesses access to Africa’s single market of about 1.4 billion people,” he said.
Speaking on the strategy, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communications, Chief Sunday Dare, noted that trade and investment are central to Africa’s economic resurgence.
“Under President Tinubu, trade reforms tariffs have been gazetted while implementation has a five-year mark. There’s a dedication to open an air cargo corridor, which will make Nigeria a competitive base for investors looking to scale regionally,” Dare said.
He commended Governor Makinde for leading the way and charged other states to follow suit.
“No matter how we craft policies at the federal level, without the sub-nationals passing such policies down to the grassroots, they will not succeed,” he added.
Earlier in her address, the Special Adviser on International Trade and AfCFTA, Ms. Neo Theodore Tlhaselo, explained that the Oyo strategy is anchored on five pillars: Productive capacity and value chain development,
Trade facilitation and infrastructure, Market access and export readiness,
Finance and investment mobilization, and Institutional framework, monitoring and evaluation
She described the strategy as “deeply grounded in the unique economic realities, strengths, and aspirations of the people of Oyo State.”
Diplomats at the event also hailed Oyo’s pioneering effort.
Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Christophe Baziwamo, described the launch as “more than a policy, but a statement of courage.”
Sierra Leone’s Deputy High Commissioner, Maj.-Gen. Dauda Fred Alpha, called it a move that would “unlock much economic potential for Oyo State.”
Westernmirror.com.ng reports that AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area, bringing together 54 countries of the African Union (AU) and eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs), with a combined GDP of about $3.5 trillion and a population of 1.3 billion.
It is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, aimed at eliminating trade barriers, boosting intra-African trade, advancing industrialisation, and creating jobs through value-added production and regional value chains.