The Nigeria – East/Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor was first launched on Africa Day - May 25, 2025, with lower rates to three destinations - Entebbe, Uganda; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa. 

In the twelve months that followed, the Corridor recorded a 40 per cent increase in export volumes. This statistic is more than a number. It represents the increased production of goods in Nigeria, jobs for Nigerians, export revenue and growth of the Nigerianbusinesses, and I am pleased to note - especially women-led businesses. This statistic also signifies closer relationships between Nigerian businesses and African buyers.

This year, on Africa Day – May 25, 2026, I was pleased to announce a partnership with RwandAir. Today, we flag-off the inaugural shipment operated by RwandAir on the Nigeria to East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor. I am pleased to 
announce that Nigerian exporters can now enjoy lower rates and faster connections to five destinations:
In East Africa:

• Kigali, Rwanda; and Nairobi, Kenya

In Southern Africa:

• Johannesburg, South Africa; Lusaka, Zambia and; Harare, Zimbabwe

If you ever wonder whether the AfCFTA is real, or what the AfCFTA means, then this corridor, pioneered by Nigeria gives you a concrete answer.

The African Continental Free Trade Area rests on a single proposition, that  African economies should trade more with each other.This is not a sentimental ambition. It is a pragmatic decision of Africans to convert our potential and ambition - into shared and lasting prosperity.

Nigeria is a Champion of the AfCFTA market. We are the first – and currently  only country to build a dedicated logistics solution that drastically reduces the cost  of transporting goods to other countries. To illustrate, Nigerian exporters previously paid between $3 and $10 per kilogramme on other commercial  services. Through our partnership with RwandAir, the rates currently stand at 
under $2 per kilogramme to all destinations. 

This means that Nigerian goods can reach more markets quicker, and at a more  affordable cost. Importantly, with lower cargo rates, complemented by reduced  tariffs under the AfCFTA agreement, Nigerian goods can be more competitively 
priced across Africa. 

Let me note that this rate is accessible to Nigerian exporters holding an AfCFTA  Certificate of Origin that is duly issued by the Nigerian Customs Service as the  Competent Authority. This Certificate confirms that goods are made in Nigeria, 
qualify under the AfCFTA, and can be counted as an AfCFTA export transaction. 

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we launch this partnership, I take on a regional lens, to highlight that Nigeria’s innovative approach unlocks opportunities not only for us, but also for our partners. In this case, Nigeria’s corridor for goods exports contributes to increased trade of distribution and transport services by our partner, Rwanda. 

This partnership for trade under the AfCFTA reflects the constructive engagement between His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and His Excellency, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, on the sidelines of the 13th Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, which held in May 2026.

Let me also appreciate the efforts of my counterpart, the Honourable Minister of Trade and Industry of Rwanda, Mr. Antoine Kajangwe in facilitating this partnership - and the negotiators for RwandAir, led by Mr. John Bosco Gakwaya, Director of Cargo Services, for their constructive and forward-looking approach. 

I would now like to thank the Nigeria technical negotiation team that secured this arrangement under my guidance: the Lead Technical Advisor from the UNDPRegional Bureau for Africa embedded in my Office, Dr. Ify Ogo and the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala. I also thank the technical team from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. This arrangement is the product of their patient and rigorous work.

Beyond the negotiations, this corridor is functional because of a whole-of￾government approach to implementation of the AfCFTA. The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is the lead institution, with the support of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development; the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and many other government institutions. 

I am especially pleased to announce that this is a women-led corridor. It was  launched in 2025 with a group of women-led exporters, some of whom are also flagging off this partnership with RwandAir. Today, again, the majority of exporters are women-led businesses who are the first movers - and it seems, champions of the AfCFTA market. 

Very proudly, I can also announce that a group of women-led businesses whose  goods are on this flight have established a distribution warehouse in Kenya.  Through them, Nigeria is not only an exporter of goods, but now a key player in 
the distribution of West African goods in the East Africa region. 

Again, if you ever wonder whether the AfCFTA works, Nigeria gives you real answers. 

As I close, to all exporters, and particularly to the exporters whose goods are on  this flight: you are the reason this corridor exists. Your products, made in Nigeria,  are on their way to buyers and distributors in African markets today. We are proud 
to support you.

Behind the border and with other countries, we will continue to address the barriers and frictions that impede successful intra-African trade.

Finally, looking to the future, one day – and very soon, the Nigeria AfCFTA Air Cargo Export Corridor will extend throughout the African continent. 

We can now proceed to flag-off the consignment!