KEY POINTS
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appoints Patience Okala as National Coordinator of Nigeria’s AfCFTA Coordination Office.
- Appointment signals renewed focus on Nigeria’s role in continental trade and economic integration.
- Okala brings extensive experience in international trade, investment policy and AfCFTA negotiations.
MAIN STORY
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mrs Patience Okala as the National Coordinator of Nigeria’s African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Office, with immediate effect.
The appointment is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s participation in the AfCFTA framework and advancing the country’s broader economic diversification agenda. The AfCFTA initiative seeks to create a unified market for goods and services across Africa, with the goal of boosting intra-African trade, industrial development and economic cooperation.
Okala steps into the role with a strong background in international trade and investment policy. She previously served as Director at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, where she played a key role in shaping Nigeria’s bilateral investment treaty negotiations and improving the country’s global investment outlook.
Her experience also includes advisory roles at the continental level. Between 2023 and 2025, she served as an Expert Advisor to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra, where she contributed to policy development and implementation strategies for the agreement.
In her earlier role as Special Adviser to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, she supported the strengthening of Nigeria’s AfCFTA institutional framework and contributed to the oversight of key coordination mechanisms. She also played a part in advancing Nigeria’s role as Co-Champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade.
In her new position, Okala is expected to lead the domestic implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, coordinate collaboration among stakeholders, and drive Nigeria’s strategic positioning within the continental trade system. The appointment reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding non-oil exports and deepening intra-African trade.
The development also aligns with Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to build on the groundwork laid by the late Olusegun Awolowo, former head of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, whose work helped establish the country’s engagement with the agreement.
THE ISSUES
Nigeria continues to face challenges in fully maximising the benefits of the AfCFTA, including infrastructural deficits, regulatory bottlenecks and limited export capacity in non-oil sectors.
There are also concerns around ensuring effective coordination among government agencies, private sector stakeholders and trade institutions to fully implement the agreement’s objectives.
The appointment of a dedicated coordinator is seen as a step towards addressing these structural and institutional gaps.
WHAT’S NEXT
- The new National Coordinator is expected to begin immediate engagement with relevant stakeholders across government, private sector and regional bodies to accelerate AfCFTA implementation.
- Efforts will likely focus on improving trade facilitation, strengthening export capacity and positioning Nigeria as a key player in Africa’s integrated market.
BOTTOM LINE
Patience Okala’s appointment marks a strategic step by the Federal Government to reinforce Nigeria’s leadership within the AfCFTA framework and accelerate the country’s economic integration and trade expansion across Africa.
