Nigeria Partners with RwandAir to Expand Regional Cargo Corridor under AfCFTA

Dike Onwuamaeze

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) partnered with RwandAir to launch an expanded Nigeria‑East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor. The move is part of Nigeria’s effort to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to a FMITI statement, the partnership sets cargo rates for RwandAir routes at less than $2 per kilogram across five destinations. The goal is to lower the cost of transporting Nigerian goods into key African markets for exporters holding an AfCFTA Certificate of Origin issued by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The five destinations are Kigali, Rwanda; Lusaka, Zambia; Harare, Zimbabwe; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Prior to the corridor’s creation, Nigerian exporters faced cargo costs ranging from $3 to $10 per kilogram for shipments to East and Southern Africa, limiting their competitiveness and market access.

“The expanded corridor directly addresses this challenge by providing faster, more affordable, and more predictable logistics options for Nigerian businesses,” the FMITI said.

The ministry urged Nigerian exporters, business associations, logistics operators, and MSMEs to use the corridor to expand Nigerian products across African markets.

At the flag‑off ceremony in Lagos, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole described the partnership as evidence of Nigeria’s commitment to making AfCFTA work for businesses.

“Our goal is clear: to make it easier and cheaper for Nigerian businesses to trade across Africa,” Oduwole said. “One year ago, we launched this corridor to solve a real problem for exporters, which is the high cost of moving goods into African markets. Today, with RwandAir, we are widening that corridor, opening more routes, and giving our exporters more options to compete.”

She added that the corridor will support exporters in high‑growth sectors such as agribusiness, fashion and textiles, cosmetics, processed foods, light manufacturing, and other Made‑in‑Nigeria products, contributing to Nigeria’s industrialisation and export diversification agenda.

RwandAir’s Director of Cargo Services, Mr. Jean Bosco Gakwaya, said the partnership “enables us to connect Nigerian manufacturers to key markets across East and Southern Africa using our RwandAir network.” He added, “This is a pivotal moment for intra‑African trade and for how we move goods across the continent. Our ability to efficiently connect businesses to markets across regions reinforces the role of air cargo in Africa’s economic development.”

The collaboration reflects growing commercial ties between Nigeria and Rwanda, following a meeting between Presidents Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Paul Kagame at the 13th Africa CEO Forum in Kigali in May 2026.

FMITI noted that the Nigeria‑East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor was first launched in 2025 with Uganda Airlines, providing access to Entebbe, Uganda; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa. With RwandAir now joining, Nigerian exporters have a broader network and stronger logistics support to reach more markets across the continent.

The ministry acknowledged the cooperation of several partners, including the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the NCS, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, business associations, licensed freight forwarders, and the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa.

Businesses wishing to use the corridor are advised to contact licensed freight forwarders or the RwandAir cargo desk at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for guidance on rates and trade formalities.