Building Africa’s Digital Hub: Nigeria’s AfCFTA Opportunity

Part III of III Nigeria's Digital Future

How AfCFTA Could Make Nigeria Africa’s Digital Leader

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is opening a new frontier for Nigeria’s digital economy. With digital trade protocols in place, Nigerian businesses can now more easily scale their e-commerce platforms beyond national borders into a wider African market.

This opportunity aligns closely with Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020–2030, which aims to boost digital literacy, expand broadband infrastructure, and create robust cross-border payment systems.

Investing in secure cloud services, building data centers, and upskilling young Nigerians in digital fields are crucial next steps. Public-private partnerships will be essential in driving these developments. The goal: position Nigeria as Africa’s go-to hub for digital services, e-commerce, and fintech innovation.

Success in digital trade will not only diversify Nigeria’s economy but also provide millions of new jobs, increase youth participation in global markets, and help build lasting economic resilience.

Tags:
#Nigeria #AfCFTA #Digital Trade #ECommerce #Economy #Africa Growth

Olasunkanmi Ibrahim, MBA, is a Corporate & Commercial Attorney with expertise in commercial transactions, corporate governance, sustainability, and international development, contributing insight at the intersection of law, development, and international impact. You can connect with him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olasunkanmi-ibrahim/

Sources:
Nigeria Startup Act 2022, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020–2030