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