RADIO NIGERIA NETWORK NEWS COVERAGE OF PROF M T LADAN 'S ELABORATION ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION DECLARING THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AS THE GRAVEST CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.

 

PROF. M T LADAN EXPLAINS THE SIGNIFICANCE, NATURE, AND MECHANISMS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION ON TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AS THE GRAVEST CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY, ADOPTED ON WEDNESDAY, 25TH MARCH 2026 IN NEWYORK.

 

    Prof. Muhammed Tawfiq LADAN 

On March 25, 2026, Ghana led a UN resolution to formally recognize the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity, citing its profound, enduring impact and systemic nature. 

Supported by the African Union and CARICOM, this initiative seeks official reparations, apologies, and systemic reparative measures, targeting lasting economic gaps. 

Nature and Scope of the Crime:-

Definition: Defines the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel slavery as the most severe historical crime, rather than mere historical injustice.

Key Elements: Highlights the trade's unprecedented scale (13+ million), duration, brutality, and its role as a "definitive break in world history" that established global systemic inequality.

Focus: It focuses on the systemic nature of the crimes rather than just individual actions, linking it directly to the underdevelopment of Africa and racial disadvantages for the diaspora. 

Votes Pattern and Opposition

While officially supported by African and Caribbean nations, the resolution has faced scrutiny and resistance, with some European leaders expressing reluctance toward reparations and viewing the act as re-opening a closed chapter. 

Steps in Implementing Reparations

●Official Apologies: Demanding formal apologies from former colonial powers.

●Reparative Investments: Focusing on structural improvements, including investments in education, health, cultural restoration, and economic development to close wealth gaps.

●Financial Mechanisms: Proposals include taxing minerals purchased from Africa by Western nations to fund development and reparative programmes. 

Mechanism for Effectiveness

Legal: Setting a new, binding framework for historical accountability, potentially enabling international legal action for restitution.

Diplomatic: Leveraging international law to force official, global acknowledgement and pressure former slave-trading nations.

Documentation: Implementing initiatives to document and preserve records, ensuring accurate historical accountability. 

Role of the African Union (AU)

The AU, with strong backing from Ghana, plays a central role in coordinating the demand for reparations on a continental level.

It serves as the unified political voice bringing the resolution to the UN General Assembly. 

This initiative moves beyond recognition to push for tangible structural change and financial accountability.

Prof. M. T. Ladan

PROF. M T LADAN CALLS FOR THE URGENT NEED FOR REFORM OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW ( IHL) TO COPE WITH THE USE OF PRECISE, CHEAP AND ADVANCED MISSILE TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMICS AND FUTURE OF WAR:- LESSONS FROM THE MARCH 2026 ISRAEL-USA IRAN WAR.

 

The March 2026 conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States has highlighted the accelerating shift toward "democratized precision" warfare, where low-cost, advanced missiles and drone swarms can overwhelm expensive, sophisticated defense systems. Based on initial reports from this conflict, several key reform areas for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are emerging as essential to cope with the changing nature and economics of war.                              

State of Conflict: As of March 24, 2026, the war has entered a "war of attrition" phase. 

■Iranian Precise, Cheaper, Advanced Missile Technology 

"Poor Man's Cruise Missile": Iranian Shahed-136 drones, costing $20,000–$50,000, are used in large volumes to exhaust expensive interceptors like the THAAD and Iron Dome, which can cost millions per shot.

Precision and Speed: Iran has integrated cluster munitions into their ballistic missiles to maximize damage and utilize "advanced navigation systems" to counter electronic warfare.

Hypersonic & Solid-Fuel: Reports indicate the use of the Fattah-2 hypersonic missile (claimed speeds of Mach 10-15) and solid-fuel systems like the Sejjil, allowing for rapid, short-notice launch.

"Silicon Shield" Strategy: A multi-layered network of hypersonic glide vehicles, low-altitude cruise missiles, and swarm drones designed to overwhelm defense radars. 

Economics of War

●Asymmetric Costs: The primary lesson of 2026 is that defense is increasingly more expensive than offense. Iran's strategy focuses on creating a "cost trap" for the U.S. and Israel.

Supply Depletion: The U.S. and Israel are struggling to replenish advanced interceptors, with significant portions of stockpiles used within the first weeks of the conflict.

●Strait of Hormuz Disruptions: Iranian threats to mine the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil passes, have caused global oil prices to surge and disrupted shipping, acting as a major economic weapon.

●Targeting Economic Infrastructure: Both sides are targeting economic assets, including Iranian oil infrastructure and Iranian-targeted data centers in the UAE. 

Future of War: Lessons from 2026

●Mass Production Over Precision Alone: The war demonstrates that 21st-century victory depends on the industrial capacity to produce large numbers of smart, inexpensive weapons rather than solely relying on a few high-tech platforms.

●Attrition and Exhaustion: The conflict indicates that modern wars are now endurance battles where geography (e.g., Iranian mountains) and political will are as critical as military technology.

●Limitations of Superior Air Power: Despite controlling the skies and taking out significant leadership, U.S./Israel forces could not stop the barrage of Iranian missiles and drones, revealing that traditional air superiority cannot fully prevent a determined swarm attack.

●Decentralized Command: Iran’s use of decentralized command structures for missile launchers makes them hard to fully eliminate. 

Strategic Outcomes as of Late March 2026

●High Damage: The conflict has resulted in significant damage to infrastructure, with Iranian missiles successfully penetrating defenses and hitting areas near nuclear sites (Dimona, Arad).

●Initial Leadership Vacuum: The initial strike killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, causing major internal strain in Iran, yet the missile program's "silicon shield" remained operational.

●Global Impact: The war has led to widespread shipping disruption, high energy prices, and fear of nuclear fallout.

Key Reform Areas for IHL (Lessons from March 2026 Conflict)

1. Defining "Meaningful Human Control" in Swarm Attacks: The 2026 conflict showed Iran using high-volume, potentially autonomous drone/missile swarms to disrupt air defenses. Existing IHL requires "human control" over targeting. Reform is needed to define what constitutes meaningful human oversight when a single operator releases hundreds of AI-enabled, self-directing weapons, ensuring that accountability is not lost in automated decision-making.

2. Codifying Precision Standards and "Excessive" Damage: ●While precision technology is meant to reduce collateral damage, the 2026 war indicates it also enables targeting "dual-use" facilities (civilian infrastructure that provides military advantage) in urban areas, leading to significant disruption. ●Reform of IHL must clarify how the proportionality rule applies when high-precision weapons cause systemic rather than immediate structural damage (e.g., knocking out energy grids or financial systems via precise strikes).

3. Regulating Autonomous "Loitering" Munitions: Iran's strategy has involved using drones that can loiter and select targets independently, which complicates the core IHL principle of distinction (differentiating combatants from civilians). Regulations must focus on the inability of these systems to differentiate between targets in complex urban environments and define the responsibility of the state using such systems.

4. Accountability for "Asymmetric" High-Tech Warfare: The conflict demonstrated a "war without law" scenario, with strikes on critical infrastructure, medical facilities, and cultural heritage, necessitating better mechanisms for identifying responsibility in cases where AI or automated systems are employed to avoid conventional attribution. There is an urgent call for independent investigations into these violations.

5. Standardizing Rules for Cyber-Missile Interplay: As shown by the 2026 crisis, missile attacks are often coupled with cyber operations to disable defense systems. IHL needs to explicitly address the legality of combining cyber warfare withkinetic attacks, specifically focusing on the cumulative impact of such strikes on civilian populations. 

Lessons on the Economics and Future of War

●Democratized Precision: Iran's success in using cheaper, accurate missiles to challenge high-tech defenses shows that advanced warfare is no longer exclusively the domain of wealthy nations.

●Economic War and Infrastructure: The war has demonstrated that targeting energy infrastructure and financial corridors (like the Strait of Hormuz) is a deliberate strategy to achieve global economic disruption, creating a "war without law" dynamic that causes massive instability beyond the battlefield.

●Regime Resilience vs. External Attack: The 2026 conflict highlighted that even heavy, high-tech military pressure on a regime's security architecture might not cause its collapse, suggesting that future wars of regime change, even with advanced precision, may be "fools' errands" that only create chaos.

●Failure of Rapid Deterrence: The conflict shows that deterrence based on superior technology can fail, leading to long-term conflict rather than a quick win.

Prof M T LADAN EXPLAINS THE DUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ACCELERATNG INTRA-AFRICAN TRADE AND ENERGY SECURITY UNDER THE AFCFTA AGREEMENT AS A STRATEGIC INTERVENTION AGAINST WEAPONIZATION OF ENERGY AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE ONGOING USA - ISREAL- IRAN WAR, MARCH 2026.

 

The escalation of the USA-Israel-Iran conflict—characterized by joint US-Israeli strikes (Operation Epic Fury) on Iran following its nuclear activities—has brought the weaponization of energy and water to the forefront of global geopolitical risks. ●As regional tensions disrupt shipping routes, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, the resulting surge in energy prices presents a "dual opportunity" for Africa. By leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework, the continent can accelerate intra-African trade and secure its energy and water resources, transforming vulnerability into strategic autonomy. 

WEAPONIZATION of ENERGY and WATER INFRASTRUCTURE Under International Law :-

●The conflict has led to the potential weaponization of CRITICAL NATIONAL RESOURCES, a strategy that poses significant challenges to international law, particularly regarding humanitarian consequences. 

●Energy and Shipping Disruption: Iran’s retaliation and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—through which 20% of global oil passes—has caused severe energy price shocks, heavily affecting oil-importing African nations.

●WATER and INFRASTRUCTURE: The targeting of critical infrastructure, including energy and water supply systems, in the broader Middle East conflict violates international humanitarian law (IHL), which prohibits targeting civilian objects and using starvation or deprivation of essential resources as a method of warfare.

●VIOLATION of SOVEREIGN SOVEREIGNTY: Reports indicate the US and Israel have engaged in actions that violate Iran’s sovereignty, leading to a breakdown in international legal order. 

DUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR AFRICA: LEVERAGING AfCFTA

The crisis highlights the danger of Africa’s heavy reliance on imported fuel and external supply chains. The AfCFTA, intended to create a market of 1.4 billion people, is now critical to building resilience against such external shocks. 

1. Accelerating Intra-African Trade and Energy Security:

●Reducing Import Dependency: The AfCFTA facilitates the movement of goods, enabling African countries to swap reliance on volatile external energy markets for regional trade, particularly strengthening energy-rich nations like Nigeria, Algeria, and Angola.

●Regional Power Pools: The framework promotes the development of transnational infrastructure, such as the West African Gas Pipeline and Regional Power Pools (Southern and Eastern), enabling energy-deficient nations to access cleaner energy sources.

●Financing and Investment: The AfCFTA facilitates the creation of a unified, stable regulatory environment, making it easier to attract investment for renewable energy projects (solar, wind, geothermal) across the continent. 

2. Enhancing Economic Resilience and Industrialization:

●Supply Chain Realignment: The crisis makes global shipping unreliable, allowing Africa to emerge as a strategic manufacturing hub.

●Value-Addition and Agriculture: To combat food price spikes resulting from high energy costs and fertilizer imports, AfCFTA encourages agricultural transformation, leveraging the continent’s 60% of uncultivated arable land.

●Simplifying Payments: The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) allows for transactions in local currencies, reducing dependence on the dollar and mitigating currency volatility driven by the war. 

Strategic Implications for Africa:-

●Pragmatic Autonomy: African nations are adopting a policy of "non-alignment," focusing on diplomatic dialogue and preventing the spread of conflict, rather than taking sides in the US-Israel-Iran dispute.          

●The Urgent Call for AFRICAN Leadership: The USA-ISRAEL-IRAN conflict is a "wake-up call," requiring African leaders to strengthen energy security, promote agricultural transformation, RATIFY the AFCFTA PROTOCOLS on Investment, competion, intellectual property rights,  digital trade, women and youth in trade, and DOMESTICATE the AFCFTA AGREEMENT for Sustainable Development in Africa. 

●The failure to de-escalate the Middle East conflict forces African states to accelerate their move toward economic self-reliance, utilizing AfCFTA not just as a trade deal, but as a crucial security framework to safeguard their energy and water future.                 

3.Prof Ladan’s JUSTIFICATION for the urgent call lies in how the subsequent disruptions in the Middle East are profoundly impacting African economies through surging energy prices, supply chain shocks, and increased security risks. 

●While oil-exporting nations may experience short-term revenue gains, the overall effect on the continent is largely negative, particularly for import-dependent economies. 

Negative Impacts on African Economies

Energy Market & Inflation: Global oil prices have spiked (exceeding USD 80/bbl), leading to severe fuel price hikes (e.g., a 23% increase in South Africa) and rising inflation across the continent. Many African nations face a "scramble" to secure petroleum, putting pressure on already strained national budgets.

●Investments & Capital Flows: The conflict threatens to slow investment flows, particularly from Gulf states (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) that have recently been major investors in African infrastructure, agriculture, and technology. Global uncertainty also increases borrowing costs for African sovereigns, hindering debt management.

●Logistics & Maritime Security: The disruption of shipping routes, particularly the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and risks in the Red Sea, is increasing shipping times and freight insurance premiums, impacting imports and exports.

●Food Security: Higher fuel costs increase the price of fertilizers and transportation, worsening food insecurity in countries reliant on imports.

●Remittances & Tourism: Instability in the Gulf threatens the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of African workers, risking a decline in remittances. 

Potential Positive Impacts (Short-Term/Conditional)

Windfall for Oil Exporters: African oil producers—including Nigeria, Angola, and Libya—may see increased revenues and strengthened foreign exchange reserves in the short term, assuming they can maintain production.

Supply Chain Relocation: The crisis highlights the risk of relying on single geopolitical regions. Global industries may look to diversify, creating an opportunity for Africa to become a new manufacturing and logistics hub. 

Security Impacts

Horn of Africa & Sahel: The conflict risks spilling over into the already volatile Horn of Africa and the Sahel, through proxy competition, maritime insecurity, and ideological pressures.

Militarization: Increased presence of external powers in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden for security purposes could impact the sovereignty of East African nations. 

RELEVANCE OF THE AFCFTA FRAMEWORK

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is highly relevant as a mechanism for building economic resilience in response to this crisis. 

●Reduced External Reliance: AfCFTA provides a framework for African nations to reduce dependence on external food, energy, and manufactured goods imports by strengthening intra-African trade.

●Regional Supply Chains: The crisis reinforces the necessity of accelerating regional energy integration, such as the West African Power Pool (WAPP), and building local refining capacity.

●Structural Transformation: The conflict is viewed as a "wake-up call" for agricultural transformation and industrialization within Africa, leveraging the continent's own resources to cushion against global shocks.

Prof. M T Ladan, the Lead National Expert/ Consultant that facilitated the initial draft for the NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES, MIGRANTS AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS ( IDPS) underscores the significance of, and next call to action post domestication of the IDP CONVENTION IN NIGERIA.

 Prof. M T Ladan,  the Lead  National Expert/ Consultant that facilitated the initial draft for the NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES,  MIGRANTS AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS ( IDPS) underscores the significance of, and next call to action post  domestication of the IDP CONVENTION IN NIGERIA.

 Prof Ladan also gave an account of the over a decade-long journey.

●The assent to the Kampala Convention (Domestication and Enforcement) Act by President Bola Tinubu on November 14, 2025, marks a historic milestone in Nigeria’s humanitarian landscape, transforming the 2009 African Union treaty into binding national law.                                 

 ●This nine( 9) PARTS, 46 SECTIONS with  2 schedules Act of 2025, creates a robust, legally enforceable framework to protect and assist the millions of Nigerians displaced by conflict, banditry, and natural disasters. 

●Significance of the Act

Legal Accountability and Criminalization: For the first time, arbitrary displacement is officially criminalized in Nigeria. The law provides penalties for forcing people from their homes without lawful justification, offering a legal shield to vulnerable populations.

●Rights-Based Protection: Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are now recognized as rights-holders entitled to protection, healthcare, education, and the right to vote, rather than just victims of circumstance

●Institutional Coordination: The Act mandates the creation of an Internal Displacement Coordination Committee to streamline the efforts of government agencies and non-state actors, reducing fragmented, inefficient responses.

●Durable Solutions: It prioritizes long-term, sustainable solutions, including safe, voluntary return, local integration, or resettlement, moving beyond temporary aid in overcrowded camps.

●Addressing Root Causes: The law obligates the government to act on the underlying drivers of displacement, such as communal conflict and climate change. 

●Impactful Next Call to Action (Post-Assent Implementation)

With the legal framework established, the focus must immediately shift to enforcement and operationalization. The most critical, high-impact actions are: 

●Immediate Gazetting and Sensitization: The Ministry of Justice must gazette the Act to make it fully operational, followed by nationwide campaigns to educate state officials, law enforcement, and IDP communities about these new rights and legal obligations.

●Establishment of the Technical Committee/Commission: Promptly constituting the National Committee for the coordination of IDP issues, ensuring it is properly funded, and staffing it with personnel equipped to handle the legal and humanitarian aspects of the Act.

●Capacity Building for Law Enforcement: Training police and military personnel to operate within the bounds of the new law, ensuring they prevent it rather than cause forced displacement.

●Strengthening Data and Monitoring Systems: Establishing a robust, independent, and transparent monitoring mechanism to track compliance, collect data on displaced persons, and ensure accountability for violations.

●Development of State-Level Adaptation: Encouraging state governments to align their local policies with this federal law, recognizing that most displacement crises are handled first at the state level. 

●"Policies must always serve humanity before politics,” highlighting that the ultimate success of this Act depends on moving from legal rhetoric to practical, ground-level action for the displaced. ●Prof.  Ladan explained the over a decade-long journey ( 2010-2025) as follows:- 

●The journey towards domesticating the Kampala Convention in Nigeria, culminating in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signing the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (Domestication and Enforcement) Act into law on 14th NOVEMBER 2025 , was a long-term, multi-stakeholder effort.

●Nigeria ratified the Convention in 2012 but faced over a decade of delays in domestication, leaving millions of IDPs vulnerable. The final push was driven by a collaboration between legislative leaders, specialized agencies, the core ministry and commission,  academic experts, and civil society organizations. 

●Key Stakeholders and Their Roles( 2012- 2025):-

●Lead Sponsors & Legislative Drivers (Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu): As Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kalu championed the bill, sponsoring it to address the urgent needs of IDPs created by insurgency, banditry, and climate-induced disasters. His counterpart in the senate,  Senate leader, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, facilitated the senate process.  

●National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and IDPs (NCFRMI): Served as the primary government agency pushing for a legal framework to manage the rising number of displaced persons, ensuring the act aligned with national protection policies.

●Key Legal experts/ consultants (led by Prof. M.T. Ladan since 2012): Professor Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan, a renowned expert in public international law and human rights, was a pivotal consultant in this process. He advocated for the  domestication of the convention and worked with the NATIONAL COMMISSION  for REFUGEES,  UNHCR and CSOs, for over a decade (since 2012), highlighting the legal necessity of converting the treaty into domestic law.

●CSOs and Non-State Actors: Civil Society Organizations like CISLAC played a crucial role in advocacy, providing data, and pushing for a rights-based approach to the legislation.

●National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives): Both chambers passed the bill in June 2024 ( House) and in july 2025( senate).

●The Process of Domestication (2024-2025):-

●Drafting and Advocacy 2012- 2023: Prof. Ladan and other experts facilitated the development of the initial legal framework that aligned with the 1999 Constitution and international standards.

●Committee Review and Passage: The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Special Duties, and after review, it was passed by the Senate to provide legal, financial, and institutional structures for IDPs

●Presidential Assent: President Tinubu signed the bill, making it a legal act aimed at protecting IDPs' rights, including their right to vote and access to basic services.

CALL TO ACTION RESOLUTION

 CALL TO ACTION RESOLUTION

ON BEHALF OF THE 150 PARTICIPANTS AT THE 3-DAY CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME FOR FEDERAL LEGISLATORS, PARLIAMENTARY AND NILDS LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT STAFF ON "THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS AND NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY STAFF IN THE NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AFCFTA AGREEMENT AND ITS ASSOCIATED PROTOCOLS IN NIGERIA

HELD BETWEEN 3RD – 5TH MARCH 2026 AT THE ABUJA CONTINENTAL HOTEL, ABUJA

JOINTLY ORGANIZED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE AND DEMOCRATIC STUDIES (NILDS), NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, ABUJA AND THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA (UNECA), ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

PREAMBLE

WE, the 150 Participants comprising Senators, Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, Parliamentary Clerks, Legislative Drafters, and Legislative Support Staff of the NILDS/NASS, having participated in the three-day capacity building programme on the role of Parliamentarians and legislative staff in the national implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement and its Associated Protocols in Nigeria;

RECOGNISING the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as one of the most transformative economic initiatives in Africa's modern history, offering Nigeria immense opportunities for industrialisation, job creation, market expansion, and inclusive economic growth;

ACKNOWLEDGING Nigeria's historic and intellectual leadership in African economic integration, from the 1991 Abuja Treaty establishing the African Economic Community to the recent championship of the Protocol on Digital Trade;

COGNISANT that under Section 12 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, international treaties require domestication through enactment by the National Assembly to have the force of law and be enforceable in Nigerian courts;

AWARE that while Nigeria has ratified the overarching AfCFTA Agreement and several Protocols, outstanding Protocols require expeditious ratification and comprehensive domestication to ensure Nigerian citizens and businesses fully benefit from the continental single market;

EMPHASISING the critical importance of structured Executive-Legislature collaboration, adequate institutional capacity, and sustained stakeholder engagement for successful AfCFTA implementation;

DO HEREBY RESOLVE AND CALL UPON the relevant authorities as follows:

A. ON RATIFICATION OF AFCFTA PROTOCOLS

1. WE COMMEND-

the Federal Government of Nigeria for fast-tracking the ratification of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade on 6th November 2025, demonstrating Nigeria's commitment to leading Africa's digital transformation agenda;

the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) for their exemplary collaboration, technical expertise, and unwavering commitment to strengthening legislative capacity for AfCFTA implementation in Nigeria; and

the AfCFTA Secretariat, particularly the IPR Division and relevant technical teams, for their invaluable contributions, technical guidance, and continuous support towards the successful planning and execution of this capacity-building programme.

2. WE URGE the Federal Government to ensure the immediate depositing of the Instrument of Ratification of the Protocol on Digital Trade at the designated African Union office to perfect Nigeria's participation and trigger the full benefits of continental digital trade integration.

3. CALL ON THE EXECUTIVE ARM OF GOVERNMENT to initiate a strategic high policy dialogue with the lawmakers on their proposed plan of action for the Domestication of the AfCFTA Agreement in Nigeria.  This will smoothen Executive- Legislature relations on strategic AfCFTA Agreement Implementation in Nigeria.

4. WE FURTHER URGE the Federal Government, through the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to develop and implement a clear workplan for the acceleration of ratification of the remaining AfCFTA Protocols, particularly the Protocols on Investment, Intellectual Property Rights, Competition Policy, and Women and Youth in Trade, to ensure that Nigeria and its citizens fully exploit the enormous window of opportunities provided by the AfCFTA Framework.

B. ON EXECUTIVE-LEGISLATURE COORDINATION

WE CALL ON the Executive arm of government to initiate a strategic high-level policy dialogue with the leadership of the National Assembly and relevant Parliamentary Committees on their proposed plan of action for the domestication of the AfCFTA Agreement in Nigeria. Such dialogue is essential to smoothen Executive-Legislature relations and ensure coordinated, coherent, and sustained implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement in Nigeria.

WE FURTHER CALL FOR the establishment of joint Executive-Legislature working groups on AfCFTA implementation to facilitate regular consultation, information sharing, and collaborative problem-solving on legislative priorities, institutional coordination, and oversight mechanisms.

C. ON BUDGETARY ALLOCATION AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY

WE CALL ON the leadership of the National Assembly to provide adequate and sustained budgetary allocations to the lead implementing MDAs, including the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, the Nigeria Customs Service, and the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations, to ensure effective implementation of AfCFTA commitments.

WE SPECIFICALLY URGE the National Assembly to provide dedicated funding to the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for continued policy dialogue, research support, and regular capacity building programmes for legislators and parliamentary staff on the AfCFTA legal framework, its Protocols, and emerging implementation challenges.

D. ON STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INCLUSIVE IMPLEMENTATION

WE CALL FOR enhanced engagement with the private sector, organised labour, women and youth entrepreneurs, and civil society organisations to ensure that AfCFTA implementation is inclusive, participatory, and responsive to the needs of all Nigerians, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that form the backbone of the national economy.

WE FURTHER CALL ON the relevant authorities to intensify public awareness and sensitisation campaigns on AfCFTA opportunities, Rules of Origin, export procedures, and support mechanisms available to Nigerian businesses, especially those owned by women and youth.

E. ON REGIONAL AND CONTINENTAL COORDINATION

WE REAFFIRM Nigeria's commitment to the RECs-as-building-blocks principle, and call on the Federal Government to ensure that AfCFTA implementation remains coherent with Nigeria's obligations under the ECOWAS Treaty, particularly regarding the Common External Tariff, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, and the ECOWAS Payment and Settlement System (EPSS), which must serve as the regional gateway to the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).

F. ON MONITORING AND OVERSIGHT

WE RESOLVE to exercise rigorous legislative oversight over AfCFTA implementation, including regular review of progress reports, scrutiny of budgetary performance, assessment of institutional readiness, and monitoring of the impact of the Agreement on Nigerian businesses, workers, and consumers.

WE COMMIT to establishing a parliamentary mechanism for tracking the status of AfCFTA-related legislation, ratification of outstanding Protocols, and implementation outcomes, to ensure transparency, accountability, and timely legislative action.

ADOPTED this 5th day of March 2026 at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, by the 150 Participants of the NILDS-UNECA Capacity Building Programme on the Role of Parliamentarians and Legislative Staff in the National Implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement and its Associated Protocols in Nigeria.

For and on behalf of the Participants:

Prof. Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan

Dr Usman Ibrahim

Director- AfCFTA Law and Policy Division,

Coordinator, Office of the DG NILDS

Lead Rapporteur

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