Bukola Afeni
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mrs Patience Okala as the National Coordinator of Nigeria’s African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Office, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s role in continental trade integration.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, was disclosed in a statement dated March 31, 2026, by the Presidency.
Mrs Okala, a seasoned trade and investment expert, brings extensive experience in international negotiations and economic policy to the role.
Prior to her appointment, she served as Director at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), where she led Nigeria’s engagements on bilateral investment treaties and negotiations across platforms including ICSID, UNCITRAL, AfCFTA, UNCTAD, IISD, and the OECD.
She also served as Expert Advisor to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra between 2023 and 2025. In addition, as Special Adviser to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, she played a key role in strengthening Nigeria’s AfCFTA institutional framework, including oversight of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee and supporting Nigeria’s emergence as Co-Champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade.
In her new position, Okala is expected to oversee the domestic implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, coordinate engagement with national stakeholders, and drive Nigeria’s strategic positioning within the continental trade framework.
The appointment builds on the legacy of the late Olusegun Awolowo and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening intra-African trade, boosting non-oil exports, and advancing economic diversification under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
