Land, Property & Trade

African Continental Free Trade Area (Ratification and Domestication) Bill

Nigeria SIGNED AfCFTA (2019) and deposited its instrument of ratification in December 2020 — but has never domesticated it into national law. Until a domestication Act passes, AfCFTA has no enabling Nigerian statute; a domestication bill (HB 2765) is before the House in 2026.

Awaiting
Passage by House + Senate
Last cleared
Domestication bill introduced (HB 2765) · 2026
Status
Pending — not yet law

Where it stands

This is a bill, not a signed Act. It must clear every step below before becoming law.

AfCFTA agreement signed
2019
Done
Instrument of ratification deposited
2020-12-05
Done
Domestication bill introduced (HB 2765)
2026
Done
4
Passage by House + Senate
pending
Pending
5
Presidential assent
pending
Pending

1 Background

The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement creates a single continental market across 54 African states. Nigeria signed it in July 2019 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 5 December 2020 (the 34th country to do so). However, ratification at the international level does not give a treaty force in Nigerian courts — under section 12 of the 1999 Constitution that requires domestication by an Act of the National Assembly. No such Act has been enacted. In 2026 the House of Representatives moved to domesticate AfCFTA (HB 2765) as part of a package of commerce bills. Until it is passed and assented to, AfCFTA remains a treaty commitment without a domestic implementing statute. (An earlier version of this registry incorrectly listed an 'AfCFTA Implementation Act 2021'; no such Act exists.)

2 Key provisions (3)

01
Would give the AfCFTA agreement legal force in Nigeria under s.12 of the Constitution
02
Aligns Nigerian tariff schedules and rules of origin with the continental agreement
03
Provides the domestic framework for phased tariff liberalisation and trade-in-services

3 What changed in practice

Nigeria is a ratified party (instrument deposited Dec 2020) but has not domesticated the treaty
Until enacted, AfCFTA preferences rest on executive/administrative action, not statute

4 Who it affects

Exporters & importersManufacturersNigeria Customs ServiceTrade negotiators

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