AfCFTA, UNDP, Nigeria Demand Urgent Action to Put Women at Centre of Africa’s Economic Integration

…Warn continent cannot unlock $3.4tn single market while female traders battle finance, border bottlenecks

By: Michael Mike

African leaders on Monday made a compelling case for placing women at the heart of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), warning that the continent’s ambition to create the world’s largest single market would remain unrealised unless governments urgently remove structural barriers limiting female entrepreneurs and traders.

Speaking at the 2026 HerAfCFTA Regional Conference in Abuja, the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, said women already constitute the backbone of Africa’s informal and small business economy but remain excluded from the policies, financing and infrastructure required to scale their enterprises across the continent.

The conference, themed “Women Advancing Africa’s Economic Transformation through Intra-African Trade: Scaling Impact,” drew ministers, trade commissioners, development partners, business leaders and women entrepreneurs from across Africa.

Collectively, the speakers argued that Africa’s future economic prosperity, industrialisation and strategic autonomy would depend on how quickly governments transform the AfCFTA from a legal framework into a practical platform that enables women-owned businesses to trade seamlessly across borders.

Eziakonwa described the current global environment as one characterised by fractured supply chains, rising protectionism and weakening multilateral cooperation, insisting that Africa could no longer depend on external markets to drive its development.

“We do not have time for a slow lane,” she declared.

“Every day we delay is a day of lost opportunity, lost trade, lost jobs and lost potential.”

She described the AfCFTA as a strategic necessity capable of helping Africa retain value, build resilient supply chains and reduce dependence on exports of raw materials.

According to her, although 49 African countries have ratified the agreement, implementation remains slow, stressing that treaties alone would not create jobs or improve livelihoods.

The UNDP regional chief urged African governments to harmonise regulations, simplify customs procedures, modernise logistics infrastructure, establish interoperable digital payment systems and eliminate barriers slowing the movement of goods and services across the continent.

She argued that Africa had a unique opportunity to demonstrate that economic integration could succeed even as much of the world moved towards protectionism.

“In a world that is disintegrating, Africa chooses integration. In a world that is building walls, Africa chooses bridges,” she said.

Eziakonwa maintained that women must be central to that vision, noting that they dominate informal cross-border trade despite operating under difficult conditions.

Drawing from African history, she cited the Aba Women’s Revolt of 1929, Queen Nzinga of Angola and generations of market women across West Africa as examples of women’s longstanding role in shaping African commerce.

“If women cannot navigate the AfCFTA market, then Africa has built a market for only half of its people,” she warned.

She called for immediate reforms, including simplified regulations for women traders, increased investment in trade infrastructure and digital systems, and greater representation of women in trade negotiations and policy formulation.

Earlier, Mene said African women were already demonstrating extraordinary entrepreneurial capacity despite significant structural constraints.

He disclosed that 83 per cent of Nigerian women identify as entrepreneurs, significantly higher than the continental average of 51 per cent, while women account for over 40 per cent of employment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

He further revealed that women constitute approximately 74 per cent of informal cross-border traders within West Africa and facilitate between $2.5 billion and $6.5 billion in annual ECOWAS trade.

Despite their enormous contribution, he said African women traders continue to face harassment, extortion and an estimated $49 billion financing gap.

“These are not merely statistics,” Mene said.

“They represent millions of women creating businesses, generating employment and driving economic transformation.”

The AfCFTA Secretary-General highlighted the African Union Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade as a landmark achievement, describing it as the world’s first legally binding trade instrument specifically designed to promote women’s participation in continental trade.

According to him, the protocol commits member states to removing barriers to finance, encouraging women’s participation in higher-value sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, technology and mining, and creating a more inclusive continental marketplace.

He stressed, however, that implementation would require stronger collaboration among governments, development partners and the private sector.

Mene identified affordable finance, export readiness, market intelligence, digital trade skills, legal support, infrastructure and mentorship as critical requirements for women-owned businesses seeking to compete across Africa.

Speaking as host, Oduwole reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring that women become central beneficiaries of the AfCFTA.

She welcomed trade ministers, commissioners and entrepreneurs from across Africa, describing the conference as evidence of growing continental collaboration around inclusive trade.

The minister said the case for placing women at the centre of the AfCFTA was “an existential one,” arguing that the agreement could only succeed if it reflected the realities of the entrepreneurs who already dominate much of Africa’s private sector.

According to her, women own more than half of Africa’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, making them indispensable to the continent’s industrial and commercial future.

She, however, cautioned against treating women as a single homogeneous group, noting that female entrepreneurs operate across agriculture, manufacturing, services, technology and creative industries, each facing unique challenges requiring targeted policy responses.

“Our task is to ensure that women are not confined to the lower rungs of the AfCFTA market,” she said.

Oduwole pledged Nigeria’s commitment to implementing policies that would enable women-owned businesses to expand beyond domestic markets and fully benefit from the continental free trade agreement.

She also praised women entrepreneurs exhibiting products from several African countries at the conference, saying their presence demonstrated that the AfCFTA was already delivering tangible results beyond policy documents.

The three leaders agreed that Africa’s economic integration would ultimately be judged not by the number of treaties signed but by whether women entrepreneurs could move goods more easily, access finance, build competitive businesses and create jobs across borders.

They called on African governments to accelerate implementation of the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, dismantle longstanding barriers confronting women-owned enterprises and ensure that the continent’s emerging single market becomes genuinely inclusive.

Their message was unequivocal: Africa cannot build a prosperous, competitive and integrated economy while leaving behind the women who already power much of its trade

AfCFTA, UNDP, Nigeria Demand Urgent Action to Put Women at Centre of Africa’s Economic Integration

Itsekiris Raise Alarm Over Alleged Plot Against Olu of Warri’s Uvwie Visit

By: Michael Mike

The Itsekiri National Association in Canada (INAC) has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by some individuals in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State to disrupt a planned royal visit by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to Itsekiri communities in the area.

The group warned that any attempt to prevent the revered monarch from visiting his subjects could trigger avoidable inter-communal tension, urging the Delta State Government and security agencies to act swiftly to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

In a statement jointly signed by INAC President, Fiogho Tonwe; Secretary, Owen Fregene; Tosan Eyide; and Oritseweyinmi Adodo-Obadoni, the association said the monarch’s scheduled visit to Ugbolokposo and other Itsekiri settlements in Uvwie was in line with long-established traditional responsibilities and should not be politicised.

According to the association, the Olu of Warri’s visit to communities under his traditional authority is a legitimate exercise of his role as custodian of the Itsekiri people, irrespective of where they reside.

“The Olu of Warri has a legitimate and historic responsibility to his subjects wherever they reside. A visit to Itsekiri communities within Uvwie that have co-existed with their Urhobo neighbours for generations is neither an encroachment nor an act of aggression. It is the exercise of a sovereign’s duty of care to his people,” the statement said.

The association alleged that some individuals were mobilising opposition to the visit in what it described as a deliberate attempt to inflame communal sentiments for political relevance.

While acknowledging that many residents of Uvwie do not support the planned protest, INAC condemned what it called the exploitation of ethnic sensitivities by a few actors seeking political visibility.

The association also expressed concern over what it described as the silence of the Delta State Government and sections of the Urhobo leadership, warning that failure to publicly discourage threats against the monarch could embolden those intent on causing unrest.

“It is deeply troubling that at a moment when a clear and authoritative voice is needed to de-escalate tension and reaffirm the rights of all communities to practise their traditions freely, that voice has been absent,” the statement said.

It added that “silence from those in authority is not neutrality; it is, in effect, permission. It emboldens those who incite and abandons those who suffer the consequences.”

INAC called on Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to publicly affirm the rights of Itsekiri communities to receive their traditional ruler and to promote peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups in the state.

The association also urged the Urhobo Progress Union and other Urhobo traditional and civic organisations to distance themselves from individuals allegedly promoting division and to reaffirm the longstanding peaceful relationship between the Urhobo and Itsekiri peoples.

It further appealed to the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services to provide adequate security for the monarch, members of his entourage and the communities expected to receive him, while ensuring that anyone resorting to violence or intimidation is brought to justice.

INAC also urged the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria to intervene where necessary in defence of the constitutional rights and freedom of movement of recognised traditional rulers across the country.

Reaffirming its support for the Itsekiri people, the association warned that the international community was monitoring developments and called on all stakeholders to prioritise dialogue and restraint.

“Peace is possible. It has always been possible. But peace requires courage from those in leadership—the courage to speak, to intervene, and to refuse to be silent when silence itself becomes a form of complicity,” the statement added.

Itsekiris Raise Alarm Over Alleged Plot Against Olu of Warri’s Uvwie Visit

Troops Arrest Suspected ISWAP Logistics Supplier, Vigilante Accomplice in Borno

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested a suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) logistics supplier and an alleged accomplice during an intelligence-led operation in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation followed sustained communication intercepts and surveillance on suspected terrorist logistics networks operating within the area.

The sources said troops of the 222 Battalion (Mechanised) conducted a covert operation at about 10:00 p.m. on June 26 and arrested the suspect, identified as Abdullahi Hamza, in Malari village while he was allegedly attempting to deliver supplies to ISWAP fighters.

Items recovered from the suspect included a loaf of bread, two bottles of soft drinks, a pack of sewing needles and thread, which investigators believe were intended for insurgent elements.

During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed that he was on his way to meet an ISWAP member whose telephone number had earlier been identified through intelligence intercepts.

The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of a second suspect, Haruna Abubakar, identified as a member of a vigilante group in Maiduguri, who is alleged to have acted as an accomplice.

Both suspects have been handed over to the military intelligence authorities for further investigation and profiling.

Military sources said the arrests underscore the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling terrorist logistics and support networks across the North-East.

The sources added that troops would continue sustained surveillance, covert operations and intelligence exploitation to identify and disrupt individuals providing material support to terrorist groups operating in the region.

Troops Intercept Tricycle, Solar Equipment Suspected for Terrorist Logistics in Borno

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intercepted a tricycle and a consignment of solar generators and panels suspected to be destined for terrorist elements during a stop-and-search operation along the Potiskum–Maiduguri highway.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the interception was made at about 8:00 p.m. on June 26 by troops of the 233 Tank Battalion deployed at a checkpoint along the route.

According to the sources, troops first intercepted a truck bearing registration number KTG 647 ZZ conveying a tricycle without valid ownership or transportation documents.

Further search operations along the route led to the interception of a Volkswagen Sharan with registration number KRD 74 XL, loaded with 16 solar panels and 16 solar generators, also without valid documentation.

The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Nasiru, 39, from Azare Local Government Area of Bauchi State; Anas Danliti, 35, also from Azare, Bauchi State; and Kabiru Yakubu, 55, from Hardokwala Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The suspects and the recovered items are currently in the custody of the 233 Tank Battalion for further investigation to determine the ownership, destination and intended use of the equipment.

Military sources said the operation forms part of sustained efforts by Operation Hadin Kai to disrupt terrorist logistics networks and prevent the movement of equipment that could support insurgent activities in the North-East.

The sources added that troops have continued to intensify stop-and-search operations along major supply routes as part of ongoing measures to deny terrorist groups access to critical logistics.

Troops Arrest Suspected ISWAP Logistics Supplier, Vigilante Accomplice in Borno