President Tinubu Makes New Appointment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mrs. Patience Okala as the National Coordinator of Nigeria’s African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Office, effective immediately.

The appointment places Okala at the center of Nigeria’s efforts to implement and maximize opportunities under the AfCFTA framework, a key continental trade initiative aimed at boosting intra-African commerce.

Okala brings years of experience in trade policy and international negotiations. She previously served as a director at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, where she led Nigeria’s participation in bilateral investment treaty negotiations and engagements across global platforms, including ICSID, UNCITRAL, AfCFTA, UNCTAD, IISD, and the OECD.

Her recent roles include serving as Expert Advisor to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra between 2023 and 2025. She also worked as Special Adviser to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, where she contributed to strengthening Nigeria’s AfCFTA institutional framework. Her involvement included oversight of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee and supporting Nigeria’s role as Co-Champion of the Protocol on Digital Trade.

In her new position, Okala will oversee domestic implementation of the AfCFTA agreement, coordinate engagement with stakeholders across sectors, and shape Nigeria’s strategic participation in the continental trade system.

The appointment follows the tenure of the late Olusegun Awolowo, who previously led the coordination office.

According to the presidency, the move reflects ongoing efforts by the federal government to strengthen intra-African trade, expand non-oil exports, and advance economic diversification under its broader policy agenda.