Nigeria’s push to strengthen intra-African trade has received a major boost as the Federal Government expanded the African Continental Free Trade Area export corridor through a new partnership with RwandAir.
The agreement is expected to reduce cargo transportation costs for Nigerian exporters and create fresh access to key markets in East and Southern Africa.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment disclosed the development in a statement issued on Sunday to mark Africa Day 2026.
According to the ministry, the new partnership with RwandAir will extend the Nigeria-East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor to Kigali in Rwanda, Harare in Zimbabwe and Lusaka in Zambia.
The arrangement will also provide Nigerian exporters with an additional carrier option for the Nairobi and Johannesburg routes.
The government said the initiative was designed to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing exporters on the continent, high logistics and cargo transportation costs.
The ministry explained that exporters previously paid between $3 and $10 per kilogramme to move goods into East and Southern African markets. The high rates made Nigerian products less competitive across the continent.
However, under the new agreement with RwandAir, cargo rates on all five destinations will now cost below $2 per kilogramme.
The ministry recalled that Nigeria first launched the air cargo corridor on Africa Day 2025 through a partnership with Uganda Airlines.
That agreement offered Nigerian exporters discounted cargo rates of up to 70 per cent lower than those charged by commercial carriers on routes to Entebbe, Nairobi and Johannesburg.
Speaking on the new development, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said the government was beginning to see practical results from Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation strategy.
She said the government had promised to make the AfCFTA work for Nigerian businesses in practical terms and not only on paper.
According to her, the expanded cargo corridor is already improving access to African markets while helping exporters reduce operational costs.
Oduwole revealed that Nigeria’s non-oil exports to African countries increased from $150m in 2024 to $207m in 2025.
She added that the new partnership with RwandAir would allow more Nigerian businesses to compete effectively across the continent.
The minister also praised the governments of Uganda and Rwanda for supporting the initiative.
She commended agencies and private sector groups involved in the project, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
The ministry disclosed that the RwandAir partnership would be formally inaugurated in June 2026.
Officials said the agreement emerged from bilateral discussions between Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Paul Kagame during the 13th Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali earlier this month.
The government believes the cargo corridor will improve Nigeria’s export competitiveness, especially for time-sensitive and high-value products.
Sectors expected to benefit from the initiative include agribusiness, fashion, textiles, cosmetics, processed foods and light manufacturing.
The Federal Government also urged exporters, freight operators and business associations to take advantage of the expanded cargo corridor to scale Nigerian products across African markets.
