Inaugural Nkafu Distinguished Lecture on Free Trade
“Cameroon – Nigeria Free Trade and the African Continental Free Trade Area”
Date: March 30th, 2022 – 03pm, Zoom Platform (Register Now)
90 minutes (45-minute lecture, 45-minute moderated discussion)

1. Background

On the 21st of March 2018 in Kigali, 44 member States of the African Union signed an agreement establishing the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This was a major historical landmark for Africa, and it can arguably be a game-changer for the continent’s economic trajectory.

By creating this single African market for goods and services bringing together more than 1.2 billion people, the continent is embarking on a radically new development path that could allow it to exploit the immense potential of its human and natural resources (World Bank, 2020). However, its implementation requires profound reforms necessary to strengthen the long-term growth of African countries. As such, it holds great promise for the creation of decent jobs, poverty reduction and prosperity for many countries. This is the case for Cameroon and Nigeria, which share a long tradition of trade, particularly because of the nearly 1500 km border between them.

With this in mind, and given the socioeconomic context marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nkafu Policy Institute of the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation has launched a Distinguished Lecture on Free Trade. The proposed theme for this year is: “Cameroon – Nigeria Free Trade and the African Continental Free Trade Area”.

2. Objectives and key issue

The main objective of this lecture is to emphasize the benefits of free trade and the requirements for the successful implementation of AfCFTA in Cameroon and Nigeria. Specifically, it will include:

• Examining the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area for both countries
• Critically assess the Agreement and its benefits to specific sectors such as energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
• Assessing the appropriateness of current procedures in the implementation monitoring of the agreement in both countries
• Making economic policy proposals to facilitate trade between countries.

3- Speaker

Hermine. L. MBARGA AZAMBOU 

Specialist in Trade Policy and International Trade Law (Lund University)
CEO, RANO Consulting
EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT OF ACODAF (Action pour le Commerce et le Développement en Afrique)

4- Target audience

This lecture will target 200 participants from different fields of expertise and will enable them to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones. The audience consists of government representatives, academics, researchers and students, speakers, entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations, civil society and public representatives etc. It is a unique opportunity to better inform on the reforms needed for Cameroon to achieve its emerging status by 2035 whilst ensuring the effective implementation of the AfCFTA.