Evidence-Based Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Assessment of Nigeria’s AfCFTA Implementation

Abstract

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement represents Africa’s most ambitious integration initiative, designed to create a single market for goods, services, and digital commerce across 54 nations [TRALAC]. Nigeria, as the continent's largest economy, signed the Framework Agreement on July 7, 2019, and formally deposited its instrument of ratification on December 5, 2020. However, Nigeria operates a strict dualist constitutional framework. Under Section 12(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), no international treaty possesses the force of law locally until it is enacted into domestic law by an Act of the National Assembly (NASS) [NASS].