TUE JUNE 30 2026-theGBJournal| Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), convened the HerAfCFTA Regional Conference on Monday on the sidelines of the 2026 African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers Meeting.
The meeting brought together trade ministers, policymakers, business executives, financiers and women entrepreneurs from across the continent to accelerate women’s participation in intra-African trade.
The conference underscored growing efforts to position women as key drivers of Africa’s economic integration, with participants focusing on expanding access to finance, markets and policy reforms needed to unlock the full potential of the AfCFTA single market.
Held as Africa marks five years since the launch of AfCFTA, the Conference comes at a critical moment in the continent’s economic integration journey.
With a market of more than 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP exceeding US$3 trillion, AfCFTA presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deepen intra-African trade, strengthen regional value chains, accelerate industrialization, and drive inclusive economic growth.
The next phase of implementation requires moving beyond policy commitments towards practical solutions that strengthen productive capacity, expand market access, mobilize investment, and enable African enterprises—particularly women-led businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—to compete and grow across regional markets.
Hosted by the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, together with the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Conference served as a high-level platform to strengthen partnerships, showcase practical solutions, and identify actions that accelerate women’s participation in intra-African trade and regional value chains.
Nigeria’s leadership in this conversation is particularly significant. As Africa’s largest economy and one of the continent’s leading centres for entrepreneurship, innovation, and enterprise, Nigeria is well positioned to demonstrate how trade, investment, and innovation can work together to drive industrialization, create jobs, and advance sustainable development across the continent.
The Conference featured Ministers of Trade from Ghana, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, alongside senior government officials, women entrepreneurs, development finance institutions, private sector leaders, investors, and regional organizations.
Senior Nigerian government representatives expected to participate include: Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Federal Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development; Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, Federal Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
Discussions focused on strengthening women’s participation in regional value chains, expanding access to finance and markets, enhancing export competitiveness, and fostering strategic partnerships that enable women-owned enterprises to scale across Africa.
The Conference builds on HerAfCFTA, UNDP’s flagship continental initiative launched in 2023 to advance women’s economic empowerment through trade, investment, and enterprise development.
In Nigeria, the initiative supports women-led businesses by strengthening export readiness, facilitating market access, connecting entrepreneurs to finance and investment opportunities, and creating an enabling ecosystem for inclusive trade.
The HerAfCFTA Regional Conference reflects UNDP’s broader commitment to connecting markets, innovation, investment, and partnerships to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation.
By bringing together governments, businesses, investors, and development partners, the Conference seeks to ensure that the opportunities created by AfCFTA translate into tangible outcomes—stronger enterprises, quality jobs, resilient value chains, and inclusive prosperity for women and communities across the continent.
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