President Tinubu Appoints Mrs Patience Okala As National Coordinator

President Tinubu Appoints Mrs Patience Okala as National Coordinator of Nigeria’s AfCFTA Coordination Office

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mrs Patience Okala as the National Coordinator of Nigeria’s African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Office, the Presidency announced on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, with immediate effect. The appointment, part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s engagement with the AfCFTA framework, is expected to play a key role in driving intra‑African trade integration, boosting non‑oil exports, and coordinating the country’s strategic positioning within the continental trade architecture under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Mrs Okala is a seasoned trade and investment specialist with extensive experience spanning bilateral and multilateral economic negotiations and policy implementation. Before her new role, she served as a Director at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), where she led Nigeria’s engagement on bilateral investment treaties and trade negotiations across platforms such as the ICSID, UNCITRAL, UNCTAD, IISD and the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD).

Between 2023 and 2025, Okala was an Expert Advisor to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra, contributing to efforts to integrate African markets and deepen cooperation through the AfCFTA Agreement the continent’s flagship trade initiative designed to create a single market for goods and services and accelerate economic growth. She also previously served as Special Adviser to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, where she helped strengthen Nigeria’s institutional framework for AfCFTA implementation, including oversight of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee and advancing Nigeria’s role in continental trade negotiations In her capacity as National Coordinator, Mrs Okala will be responsible for

• Overseeing domestic implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, including coordination with federal agencies, states, and private sector stakeholders
• Facilitating strategic engagement with continental partners to maximise trade and investment opportunities;
• Strengthening Nigeria’s institutional capacity to deliver on its AfCFTA commitments; and
• Supporting policy alignment to enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian goods and services across Africa.

Her appointment comes at a time when Nigeria is increasingly focused on deepening integration into regional value chains and expanding trade beyond traditional markets key pillars of the Federal Government’s broader economic diversification strategy. Since ratifying the AfCFTA Agreement in November 2020, Nigeria has been ramping up efforts to harmonise trade policies, improve export competitiveness, and attract investment in manufacturing, agriculture and services. AfCFTA is widely viewed by policymakers as a catalyst for job creation, industrial development and expanded market access for Nigerian businesses across Africa. President Tinubu’s government has positioned AfCFTA implementation as a core component of its Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at fostering sustained economic growth, reducing dependence on oil revenue and building a more resilient and diversified economy. Analysts say the new appointment reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to professionalising trade coordination, bolstering Nigeria’s influence within the AfCFTA Secretariat and ensuring effective delivery of the agreement’s benefits at home and abroad.