KEY POINTS

• African Women in Processing, Nigeria, says the partnership between Rwanda Air and the Federal Government will reduce export logistics costs and improve efficiency.
• The Nigeria East/Southern African Air Cargo Corridor roadmap was signed at the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) WKND 2026 in Lagos.
• AWPIN says some of its members are already benefiting from the arrangement, which has an initial implementation period of three years.
• Exporters have been advised to obtain a Certificate of Origin and comply with required export procedures.

MAIN STORY

The partnership between Rwanda Air and the Federal Government is expected to reduce transportation costs and improve export efficiency for Nigerian businesses, particularly women-led enterprises, the President of African Women in Processing, Nigeria (AWPIN), Chinwe Ezenwa, has said.

Ezenwa disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) WKND 2026 in Lagos on Saturday.

NAN reports that Nigeria and Rwanda signed a roadmap for the Nigeria East/Southern African Air Cargo Corridor at the event, establishing an arrangement intended to improve cargo movement and support trade between Nigeria and markets in East and Southern Africa.

Ezenwa said the partnership would address longstanding logistics challenges faced by Nigerian exporters, strengthen their export capacity and provide greater stability for businesses planning to sell their products across borders.

She said AWPIN, which has more than 1,000 members, had previously drawn the attention of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, to the high cost and other difficulties associated with exporting. According to her, the concerns raised by the association prompted the minister to pursue an airline partnership that could make transportation more affordable.

THE ISSUES

Ezenwa said the arrangement had already commenced, with Nigerian exporters benefiting from lower logistics costs and improved operational efficiency. She added that members of her association were among the early beneficiaries.

The AWPIN president, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Le Look House of Bags/Shoes, identified her organisation as the largest customer of Rwanda Air under the arrangement.

She said the partnership could create opportunities for more entrepreneurs to enter the export market, particularly women seeking to grow their businesses beyond Nigeria.

However, she stressed that exporters must meet the required documentation standards to benefit from the arrangement. In particular, she highlighted the Certificate of Origin, which establishes where exported goods originate and is required to facilitate the export process.

Ezenwa said the certification process had been simplified to make it easier for businesses to participate, but warned that exporters without the necessary documents might be unable to access the benefits of the partnership.

She also welcomed the three-year initial implementation period announced by the minister, saying it would give exporters a more predictable timeframe for planning and sustaining their businesses.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

“Reducing logistics costs and improving efficiency will make exporting more accessible to emerging entrepreneurs.” – Chinwe Ezenwa, President, African Women in Processing, Nigeria.

WHAT’S NEXT

Ezenwa urged prospective exporters to familiarise themselves with established export procedures and obtain the required certification before using the cargo corridor.

She expressed confidence in the partnership, noting that operations had already started and that its initial three-year period would provide businesses with an opportunity to plan their export activities.

She also described CANEX as a platform for connecting people across borders and promoting cultural exchange. The event brings together participants in the Creative and Cultural Industries to showcase their work, exchange ideas, build networks and explore business collaborations.

BOTTOM LINE

The Rwanda Air cargo partnership is expected to address one of the major costs facing Nigerian exporters: moving goods to overseas markets. Its benefits, however, will depend on affordable cargo services, effective implementation and exporters’ ability to meet the required documentation standards.