Nigeria–Kenya Trade Corridor Accelerates …as NiKCCIMA Unveils 2026 Roundtable, AfCFTA Air Link Cuts Logistics by 75%
Oru Leonard
Nairobi/Abuja — A new phase of East–West African economic integration is taking shape as the Nigeria–Kenya Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NiKCCIMA), rolls out its strategic 2026 programme to deepen bilateral trade, investment, and private-sector collaboration.
The initiative builds on the recent launch of the AfCFTA Air and Trade Corridor connecting Lagos–Abuja–Nairobi–Mombasa, which has already begun lowering logistics costs for SMEs by 50–75%, according to corridor stakeholders. The corridor is expected to transform key sectors, including agribusiness, dairy, fashion, cosmetics, digital services, manufacturing, and logistics — areas where Nigeria and Kenya hold distinct comparative advantages.
As a “New East–West Growth Compact”, NiKCCIMA’s 2026 programme forms part of a broader push to enhance intra-African trade, aligning with:
• Kenya’s Big 4 and BETA transformation agenda,
• Nigeria’s ASO 2030/Renewed Hope economic diversification strategy, and the
• African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation framework.
The Chamber will host the First Nigeria–Kenya Business Roundtable in 2026, which is expected to bring together senior government officials, CEOs, regulators, investors, and SMEs from both countries.
Planned sessions will cover:
• sector-specific trade analytics,
• investment facilitation,
• export readiness for AfCFTA,
• policy harmonization,
• joint industrial and logistics frameworks,
• and MoU signings between business councils and sector associations.
Trade Dynamics and Opportunities: Recent trade data shows a significant imbalance between the two countries:
• Kenya’s exports to Nigeria reached $61.6 million in 2023, driven by tea, vegetable fibres, leather, and manufactured goods.
• Nigeria’s exports to Kenya fell to $2.8 million, largely in printing materials, synthetic hair, aluminium, and niche textiles.
NiKCCIMA argues that the air corridor — combined with harmonized standards, targeted investment, and new cross-border supply chains — can close this gap while opening wider East and West African markets for both sides.
With Private-Sector Diplomacy at the Centre, NiKCCIMA is positioning itself as the main bilateral platform for:
• investor matchmaking,
• SME export development,
• sector MoUs,
• joint technical committees,
• and AfCFTA-aligned policy advocacy.
“We do not pride ourselves on this as just another trade platform,” the Chamber said in a statement. “we are a structural intervention aimed at unlocking real opportunities for Kenyan and Nigerian entrepreneurs, farmers, manufacturers, and technology innovators.”
Looking Ahead, the Nigeria–Kenya Roadmap (2026–2028) includes:
• annual CEO forums,
• sector exhibitions,
• a corridor data and knowledge hub,
• and cross-border production networks in agribusiness, textiles, cosmetics, ICT, and blue-economy value chains.
Analysts say the corridor could become a benchmark for AfCFTA’s continental ambitions — linking West Africa’s largest market with East Africa’s regional gateway through a coordinated public-private partnership model.
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NiKCCIMA
