Nigeria, RwandAir Deepen AfCFTA Trade Push with Expanded Air Cargo Corridor

Nigeria, RwandAir Deepen AfCFTA Trade Push with Expanded Air Cargo Corridor

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) has announced a new strategic partnership with RwandAir aimed at expanding Nigeria’s implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor.

The announcement, made on Africa Day 2026 in Abuja, marks a significant step in reducing logistics costs for Nigerian exporters seeking access to African markets.

According to the ministry, exporters previously faced air cargo charges ranging from $3 to as high as $10 per kilogram when shipping goods to East and Southern Africa, making trade uncompetitive for many Nigerian businesses.

To address the challenge, FMITI had in 2025 launched the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor in partnership with Uganda Airlines. The initiative introduced heavily discounted cargo rates of up to 70 per cent below prevailing commercial prices for exports to Entebbe, Nairobi and Johannesburg.

One year later, the ministry said the partnership with RwandAir would further extend the corridor to Kigali, Harare and Lusaka, while also providing exporters with additional cargo options on the Nairobi and Johannesburg routes.

Under the arrangement, cargo rates for all five destinations are expected to remain below $2 per kilogram, a development officials say will significantly improve the competitiveness of Nigerian goods across African markets. The partnership is scheduled for formal launch in June 2026.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said the initiative demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring that AfCFTA delivers practical benefits for businesses.

She noted that Nigeria’s non-oil exports to African markets increased from $150 million in 2024 to $207 million in 2025, attributing the growth partly to reforms aimed at lowering trade barriers and transportation costs.

According to her, the expanded air cargo corridor would enable more Nigerian exporters to access wider African markets at affordable rates, particularly businesses operating in agribusiness, fashion and textiles, cosmetics, processed foods and light manufacturing.

The minister also commended the governments of Uganda and Rwanda, alongside stakeholders including the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Shippers' Council for supporting the initiative.

FMITI disclosed that negotiations leading to the RwandAir partnership were facilitated by technical advisers from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa and the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office.

The agreement is also seen as one of the early outcomes of bilateral engagements between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Paul Kagame during the 13th Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali on May 13, 2026.

The ministry urged exporters, logistics operators and business associations to take advantage of the expanded corridor to scale Nigerian products across the continent under the AfCFTA framework.

Nigerian exporters interested in using the cargo corridor were advised to contact licensed freight forwarders or the cargo desks of Uganda Airlines and RwandAir at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.