The African Union (AU) has endorsed Nigeria as the Digital Trade Champion under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol.
President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Monday said AU acknowledged Nigeria’s exceptional leadership in advancing digital enterprise and innovation.
The endorsement came at the conclusion of the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday.
This recognition stems from Nigeria’s proactive role in the implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, which was adopted in February 2024.
The protocol aims to establish a regulatory framework that spans several critical areas, including rules of origin, digital identities, cross-border data transfers, online safety and security, and emerging technologies.
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In his annual report on the progress of the digital trade protocol, former President of Niger and AU AfCFTA Champion, Mahamadou Issoufou, praised Nigeria’s leadership, particularly for convening the Digital Economy Roundtable in January.
Issoufou highlighted that the event was instrumental in advancing the digital trade agenda across the continent.
“No organisation, region, or continent has negotiated or adopted such a comprehensive legal instrument on digital trade, positioning Africa to fully benefit from the digital economy through innovation and job creation,” Issoufou stated.
He emphasised the role of young Africans in digital innovation, particularly in mobile banking and other digitally-enabled services, and expressed optimism that the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol would create a conducive environment for these young people to thrive in Africa’s burgeoning digital economy.
Reflecting on the success of the Digital Economy Roundtable held in Abuja, Issoufou lauded Nigerian President Tinubu and his administration for organising the event, which was attended by key figures from the fintech sector and other areas of digital innovation.
“The roundtable made it clear that young Africans are eager to seize the opportunities presented by the continent’s digital economy, especially through the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade,” Issoufou said.
Speaking on the significance of the AU’s endorsement of Nigeria, Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, told the summit, “Africa has demonstrated global leadership by pioneering the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade.
“This comprehensive regulatory framework is a game-changer in advancing Africa’s economic development.”
She added, “The official designation of Nigeria as the AfCFTA Digital Trade Champion will create millions of jobs for Africa’s tech-savvy youth, contribute billions to the continent’s GDP, and attract substantial investments in public digital infrastructure across the continent.”
