By Harriet Tornguvan
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 position in intra-African trade.
The appointment, conveyed in a letter dated March 30, 2026, and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, takes immediate effect.
Mrs Okala, a legal professional, holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from the University of Abuja, obtained in 1995. She brings decades of experience in trade, investment, and economic policy to her new role.
Prior to her appointment, she served as a Director at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, where she played a key role in advancing Nigeria’s trade and investment agenda. Her responsibilities included serving as lead mediator for Nigeria’s bilateral investment treaties and spearheading policy and regulatory reforms geared toward economic transformation in collaboration with the private sector.
Her experience also extends to the continental stage. Between 2023 and 2025, Mrs Okala worked as an Expert Advisor to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra, Ghana, where she provided strategic guidance on regional integration and trade policy implementation across member states.
In her previous role as Special Adviser to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, she was instrumental in restructuring Nigeria’s institutional framework for AfCFTA implementation. She currently oversees the country’s AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee and has led technical and mobilization efforts that secured Nigeria’s position as co-champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade.
Observers say her appointment signals the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to leveraging the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA framework, which is designed to boost trade among African nations and drive economic growth across the continent.
With her extensive background in policy, negotiation, and regional collaboration, Mrs Okala is expected to play a central role in deepening Nigeria’s engagement in Africa’s evolving trade landscape.
