Afreximbank, diplomats push stronger int’l state-level partnerships to boost trade

The summit, co-hosted by Globalafri Diplomat and Afreximbank at the Afreximbank African Trade Centre, brought together commercial attachés, diplomats, development partners, captains of industry and commissioners of commerce from across Nigeria to explore practical areas of collaboration between the international community and Nigeria’s subnational governments.

Speaking during the opening session, Deji Ajomale-McWord, Publisher of Globalafri Diplomat, Sòókò , described subnational diplomacy as an urgent necessity, arguing that Nigerian states must be deliberately exposed to global trade, investment and development opportunities, especially as the country gradually devolves more powers to state governments in critical sectors.

Delivering a keynote address titled “The Urgency of Subnational Diplomacy,” Ajomale-McWord said Nigeria’s historical economic success was driven by strong regional economies before excessive centralisation weakened the ability of states to independently pursue development.

He recalled that the old Western Region’s cocoa economy and the famous groundnut pyramids in Northern Nigeria were major contributors to national prosperity before the country’s governance structure shifted towards a unitary system following the promulgation of Decree 34 during military rule.

According to him, although the military administration that introduced the decree was short-lived, its impact on governance and economic development has remained profound.

He argued that recent constitutional and policy reforms in areas such as electricity, taxation and security have created fresh opportunities for state governments to drive development, attract investments and deepen collaboration with international partners while operating within Nigeria’s national foreign and trade policy.

Ajomale-McWord pointed to the Federal Government’s National Regional Development Policy (2026–2030) and the establishment of regional development commissions across the country as evidence that Nigeria is gradually returning to a model where regions play stronger developmental roles.

He cited the creation of the North-West, North-Central and South-West Development Commissions, alongside existing regional intervention agencies such as the Niger Delta and North-East Development Commissions, as indicators of this renewed regional focus.

“Our states are open. Our regions are open for business,” he declared, urging commercial attachés, investors and development partners to expand their engagement beyond Abuja and Lagos by exploring investment opportunities across Nigeria’s states.

He further reaffirmed Globalafri Diplomat’s commitment to sustaining conversations on subnational diplomacy through continuous stakeholder engagement and collaborative initiatives aimed at accelerating development across the federation.

The summit also featured technical sessions on digital trade and cross-border commerce.

Representing Afreximbank, Al Amin Ishaq and Ugonna Nwankwo highlighted the bank’s African Trade Gateway, describing it as a flagship digital ecosystem designed to connect businesses, facilitate trade financing and improve Africa’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The officials explained that the platform integrates multiple stakeholders across Africa’s value chains while simplifying cross-border trade and payment systems.

Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Customs, represented by Deputy Comptroller M.M. Nuhu of the Trade Facilitation Unit, commended the organisers for convening stakeholders committed to strengthening trade and investment across Nigeria and the African continent.

He said forums such as the Trade Commissioners Summit create valuable opportunities for dialogue, partnerships and the exchange of ideas capable of driving sustainable economic growth in an increasingly interconnected global economy.

Also speaking, Obadiah Nkom, Director-General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, represented by the agency’s Director of Monitoring and Compliance, Barrister Yakubu Yahuza Muri, stressed the strategic role state governments must play in developing Nigeria’s critical minerals sector.

He explained that although ownership of mineral resources remains vested in the Federal Government, successful mineral development depends significantly on state governments through security coordination, local economic planning and workforce development.

According to him, investors no longer compare countries alone but increasingly evaluate individual states, provinces and economic corridors before making investment decisions.

He noted that states capable of providing ease of doing business, reliable infrastructure, skilled manpower, policy consistency and stable host communities stand a better chance of attracting mining investments.

“The role of state governments is not to administer mineral titles, but to create the conditions under which those sovereign assets are transformed into jobs, infrastructure, industrialisation, community development and sustainable prosperity,” he said.

A fireside discussion involving Olawale Aro, Managing Partner at BlueGrid Advisory, also underscored the importance of stronger collaboration between federal and state institutions in the electricity sector to ensure states effectively utilise their newly expanded constitutional powers.

Digital trade and e-commerce also featured prominently during a panel discussion involving Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Public Sector and Corporate Segments at MTN Nigeria; Okhae Enahoro, Chief Executive Officer of GIG Mobility; and Afreximbank’s Al Amin Ishaq.

The panellists identified inadequate infrastructure and inefficient cross-border payment systems as major barriers to intra-African trade but stressed that any digital commerce strategy must deliberately accommodate the informal sector, which they described as powering a trillion-dollar African economy.

The summit also provided an opportunity for commissioners responsible for commerce and trade from various Nigerian states to present investment opportunities within their jurisdictions to diplomats, commercial attachés, trade offices and development partners.

The organisers unveiled “Goal for Trade,” a sports diplomacy initiative designed to bring together stakeholders across the international trade ecosystem through football and recreational networking.