Nigeria has expanded its AfCFTA air cargo corridor with RwandAir, adding routes to Kigali, Lusaka, and Harare and cutting freight rates to below $2/kg for exporters holding AfCFTA Certificates of Origin. The move follows the 2025 launch with Uganda Airlines and supports Nigeria’s push to diversify non-oil exports. Eight firms received certificates at the June 19, 2026 Lagos launch. The initiative involves Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, and other agencies, reflecting strengthened Nigeria-Rwanda ties after May 2026 talks in Kigali.
According to businessday.ng, Nigeria has expanded its African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) air cargo corridor through a partnership with RwandAir, introducing new export routes to Kigali, Lusaka, and Harare while reducing eligible freight rates to below $2 per kilogram.
Expanded Corridor Adds Three New Destinations
The newly launched Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor adds direct export routes from Nigeria to Kigali, Lusaka, and Harare. It also provides Nigerian exporters with an additional carrier option on existing routes to Nairobi and Johannesburg. The expansion builds on the original corridor launched in 2025 via Uganda Airlines, which served Entebbe, Nairobi, and Johannesburg under the AfCFTA framework.
This geographic extension significantly increases regional market access for Nigerian exporters. According to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the corridor is designed to support non-oil sectors including agribusiness, fashion and textiles, cosmetics, processed foods, and light manufacturing — all key pillars of Nigeria’s foreign exchange diversification strategy.
Freight Rates Drop Sharply for AfCFTA-Certified Exporters
Cargo rates on RwandAir-operated routes will be set at below $2 per kilogram for exporters holding AfCFTA Certificates of Origin issued by the Nigeria Customs Service. This represents a substantial reduction from previous rates, which ranged from $3 to $10 per kilogram on some routes. The ministry stated that the lower rates are expected to improve competitiveness — particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises — by directly addressing one of the most persistent cost barriers in intra-African trade.
At the launch event held in Lagos on Friday, June 19, 2026, eight businesses received AfCFTA Certificates of Origin, enabling immediate access to preferential trade arrangements and the discounted cargo rates. The initiative was implemented in collaboration with multiple agencies: the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
Strategic Alignment with Bilateral and Continental Priorities
“Our goal is clear: to make it easier and cheaper for Nigerian businesses to trade across Africa.” — Jumoke Oduwole, minister of industry, trade and investment
The partnership reflects deepening commercial ties between Nigeria and Rwanda, following high-level bilateral engagements between President Bola Tinubu and President Paul Kagame during the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali in May 2026. Jean Bosco Gakwaya, director of cargo services at RwandAir, emphasized the operational integration:
“This partnership between RwandAir Cargo and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment enables us to connect Nigerian manufacturers to key markets across East and Southern Africa using our network.”
Analysts have long identified logistics costs as a primary constraint limiting Nigeria’s ability to capitalize on AfCFTA opportunities. While tariff barriers have been reduced continent-wide, non-tariff obstacles — especially freight charges, customs procedures, and inconsistent documentation — remain acute. The corridor directly targets the first of these, offering a scalable, carrier-backed mechanism to lower air freight expenses in real time.
Source: businessday.ng
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
