FG, RwandAir partner to expand regional trade routes with new air cargo corridor 

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, in partnership with RwandAir, has expanded the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa air cargo corridor, with air freight costs falling below $2/kg, to boost intra-African trade growth.

The partnership expands the existing corridor by opening new export routes from Nigeria to Kigali, Rwanda; Lusaka, Zambia, and; Harare, Zimbabwe while also providing Nigerian exporters with an additional carrier option on the Nairobi, Kenya and Johannesburg, South Africa routes.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Lagos, Jumoke Oduwole, minister of industry, trade and investment, described the partnership as another concrete demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to making the African Continental Free Trade Area under (AfCFTA) work for businesses.

“Our goal is to make it easier and cheaper for Nigerian businesses to trade across Africa. One year ago, we launched this corridor to solve a real problem for exporters, 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. With eight businesses receiving AfCFTA Certificates of Origin today, we are also showing that this is not just about policy, it is about real businesses, real exports, and real market access. This is AfCFTA in action,” Oduwole said.

She noted that the corridor is expected to support exporters in high-growth sectors including agribusiness, fashion and textiles, cosmetics, processed foods, light manufacturing and other made-in-Nigeria products, while contributing to Nigeria’s broader industrialisation and export diversification agenda.

The Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor was first launched in 2025 through a partnership with Uganda Airlines, which opened access to Entebbe, Uganda; Nairobi, Kenya, and; Johannesburg, South Africa. With RwandAir now joining the corridor, Nigerian exporters have a wider network and stronger logistics support to reach more markets across the continent.

Through this arrangement, cargo rates on the routes operated by RwandAir are set at under US$2 per kilogram across the five destinations, helping to reduce the cost of moving Nigerian goods into key African markets.

These rates are available to Nigerian exporters holding an AfCFTA Certificate of Origin issued by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

According to the Ministry, before the establishment of the corridor, many Nigerian exporters faced cargo costs ranging from US$3 to as high as US$10 per kilogram for goods shipped to East and Southern Africa, limiting their competitiveness and constraining access to regional markets.

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

Jean Bosco Gakwaya, director cargo services, RwandAir,  said the partnership enables the airline to connect Nigerian manufacturers to key markets across East and Southern Africa using the RwandAir network.

“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,” Gakwaya said.

The partnership with RwandAir also reflects the growing commercial cooperation between Nigeria and Rwanda, following the bilateral engagement between Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria and Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda on the sidelines of the 13th Africa CEO Forum in Kigali in May 2026.

The flag off event brought together stakeholders in the industry of trade including, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigeria Customs Service, 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.

Oduwole encouraged Nigerian exporters, business associations, logistics operators and MSMEs to take full advantage of the corridor to scale Nigerian products across African markets.

Nigerian businesses seeking to use the corridor may contact licensed freight forwarders or the RwandAir cargo desk at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for guidance on rates and the completion of trade formalities.