By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Nigeria has entered the
implementation phase of the Africa Digital Access and Public Infrastructure for
Trade (ADAPT) initiative under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Protocol on Digital Trade, marking a step towards strengthening digital trade
systems across Africa.
The initiative aims to
support trusted and interoperable digital trade by improving coordination
across key areas including digital identity, payments, customs, trade
facilitation, and regulatory frameworks.
The launch of the inaugural
ADAPT Sub-Committee brought together representatives from 13 Nigerian
government institutions involved in trade, customs, digital identity, payments,
and digital regulation to establish governance structures, agree on an implementation
roadmap, and define the next steps for delivery.
The Tony Blair Institute for
Global Change supported the process, helping to move the initiative from
ministerial endorsement into the implementation stage.
The ADAPT initiative is
designed to contribute to the development of digital public infrastructure that
enables more efficient cross-border trade, improves trust in digital
transactions, and supports the objectives of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol.
