Nigeria and South Africa are being pushed to move beyond diplomatic ties and start acting like a combined economic force, as pressure builds to make the African Continental Free Trade Area work in practical terms.
That message came through at a Lagos roundtable where policymakers and business leaders made it clear that both countries carry too much weight on the continent to keep operating in silos. Together, they account for a large share of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP, but that influence is not yet translating into strong trade flows between African countries.
The gap is showing in the numbers. Intra-African trade is still below 20 percent, which means most African economies are still trading more with external partners than with each other. For two of the continent’s biggest economies, that signals missed opportunities.
What is being pushed now is alignment, not just in speeches, but in policy and investment decisions. The focus is shifting toward sectors where both countries already have presence and scale. Telecoms, digital services, infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy are being seen as entry points for deeper cooperation.
Private sector players are also part of that conversation. Companies operating across borders are being used as proof that integration can work when capital and policy align. But the broader issue remains consistency. Investors are still dealing with regulatory bottlenecks, policy uncertainty, and slow implementation.
That is where the AfCFTA challenge sits. The framework exists, but execution is uneven. Without removing barriers, whether it is tariffs, logistics constraints, or regulatory differences, the agreement risks staying theoretical.
There is also a structural layer. Both economies are dealing with internal pressures, from currency volatility to infrastructure gaps. Until those issues are addressed, scaling trade and investment between them becomes harder.
What is emerging from the discussions is a shift in tone. Less focus on potential, more emphasis on delivery. The expectation now is that bilateral engagements should lead to actual projects, capital flows, and easier market access.
For Nigeria and South Africa, the argument is simple. If the two largest players on the continent cannot align effectively, the broader integration agenda will struggle to gain momentum.
