Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and UNDP Convene HerAfCFTA Regional Conference to Strengthen Women’s Economic Leadership in AfCFTA’s Next Phase

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are set to convene the HerAfCFTA Regional Conference on June 29, 2026. This event will coincide with the 2026 African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers Meeting. The conference aims to gather African leaders, trade ministers, policymakers, women entrepreneurs, private sector representatives, financial institutions, development partners, and regional organizations to enhance women’s economic leadership and fully leverage Africa’s single market.

Context and Significance of the Conference

As Africa commemorates five years since the launch of AfCFTA, this conference arrives at a pivotal moment in the continent’s economic integration journey. With a market encompassing over 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP exceeding US$3 trillion, AfCFTA presents a historic opportunity to deepen intra-African trade, fortify regional value chains, accelerate industrialization, and promote inclusive economic growth.

The next phase of AfCFTA’s implementation necessitates a shift from mere policy commitments to actionable solutions that bolster productive capacity, broaden market access, attract investments, and empower African enterprises, particularly women-led businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to thrive in regional markets.

Leadership and Participation

The conference will be hosted by Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa, alongside Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. Collaborating with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the conference will serve as a high-level platform to strengthen partnerships, showcase practical solutions, and identify strategies that enhance women’s participation in intra-African trade and regional value chains.

Nigeria’s role in this dialogue is particularly noteworthy. As Africa’s largest economy and a leading hub for entrepreneurship, innovation, and enterprise, Nigeria is well-positioned to illustrate how trade, investment, and innovation can collectively drive industrialization, create jobs, and foster sustainable development across the continent.

Expected Participants and Discussions

The conference will feature trade ministers from Ghana, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with senior government officials, women entrepreneurs, development finance institutions, private sector leaders, investors, and regional organizations. Notable Nigerian government representatives expected to attend include:

• Honourable Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Federal Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development.
• Honourable Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs.
• Honourable Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, Federal Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.

Discussions will center on enhancing women’s participation in regional value chains, expanding access to finance and markets, improving export competitiveness, and fostering strategic partnerships that enable women-owned enterprises to scale across Africa.

HerAfCFTA Initiative and Broader Implications

The conference builds upon HerAfCFTA, UNDP’s flagship continental initiative launched in 2023, aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment through trade, investment, and enterprise development. In Nigeria, this initiative supports women-led businesses by enhancing export readiness, facilitating market access, connecting entrepreneurs to finance and investment opportunities, and creating an enabling environment for inclusive trade.

The HerAfCFTA Regional Conference embodies UNDP’s broader commitment to linking markets, innovation, investment, and partnerships to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation. By uniting governments, businesses, investors, and development partners, the conference seeks to ensure that the opportunities generated by AfCFTA translate into tangible outcomes—stronger enterprises, quality jobs, resilient value chains, and inclusive prosperity for women and communities across the continent.

For further details, refer to the source: www.zawya.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Ugochukwu Kingsley Ahuchaogu
Regional Communications and External Engagement Specialist
UNDP Africa
Email: Ugochukwu.kingsley@undp.org

Christabel Chanda-Ginsberg
Public Engagement, Outreach and Partnerships Unit
UNDP Nigeria
Email: christabel.chanda-ginsberg@undp.org

About UNDP AFRICA:
UNDP Africa supports 46 countries in accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, expediting structural economic transformation for sustainable development, building resilience to shocks, and promoting sound governance, peace, and security throughout the continent. Guided by the principle that Africa is not homogeneous, UNDP’s Renewed Strategic Offer in Africa serves as a premier enabler and integrator for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. For more information, visit: www.UNDP.org/africa.

In Nigeria, UNDP has been collaborating with the government and the people to address development challenges by strengthening institutions that promote inclusive, sustainable development and democratic governance. UNDP works with multisectoral stakeholders to support Nigeria in achieving its Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) commitments. For more information, visit: https://apo-opa.co/44GnmBm.

About HerAfCFTA:
HerAfCFTA is an initiative stemming from UNDP’s renewed strategic focus on Africa, leveraging inter-African trade as a key mechanism for poverty reduction, job creation, and increasing foreign exchange. Launched by the UNDP Regional Director for Africa at the inaugural AfCFTA Business Forum in 2023, HerAfCFTA emphasizes the importance of collective effort and calls on all development actors to invest consistently in enhancing export readiness. This framework presents significant opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Nigeria, potentially transforming their business prospects.

Published on 2026-06-29 23:28:00 • By the Editorial Desk

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