By Amina Isa Ahmad
The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has launched a new division dedicated to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Law and Policy, aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s role in the continental trade agreement.
Speaking at the First Sensitisation Programme on the Role of NILDS in Facilitating National Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) Agreement, Professor Abubakar O. Sulaiman, Director General of NILDS, said the institute is committed to supporting Nigeria’s implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement and its associated 8 Protocols.
Sulaiman noted that the AfCFTA has significant benefits for Nigeria, including creating a single, unified market access across the continent, boosting intra-African trade, promoting economic diversification and industrialization, attracting foreign direct investment, protecting creativity and innovation, and reducing poverty.
The new division, Division of AfCFTA Law and Policy (DALP), will focus on research, policy dialogue, capacity building, and curriculum development to support Nigeria’s implementation of the AfCFTA framework.
Sulaiman said the launch of the division and the unveiling of a comprehensive compendium of key AfCFTA legal instruments are major milestones for NILDS and Nigeria.
The compendium, which includes the AfCFTA Agreement and its eight protocols, is expected to serve as a strategic tool for advocacy, sensitization, capacity building, research, policy dialogue, and curriculum development.
NILDS has also forged partnerships with institutions such as Afreximbank, UN Economic Commission for Africa, and the AfCFTA Secretariat to support its work on AfCFTA implementation.