International law expert Professor Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan has called for the urgent ratification and implementation of the African Union (AU) Protocol on Free Movement of Persons to unlock the full economic potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and its 1.4 billion-person market.
Professor Ladan, who serves as the Coordinator of AfCFTA at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja, made these assertions during a lead presentation on Thursday, July 30, 2026. The event was held in Victoria Island, Lagos, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of SSK Law Firm. The presentation focused on regional economic integration in Africa, the AfCFTA agreement, and trade mobility.
The Role of the 2018 AU Protocol
According to Professor Ladan, a Professor of Regional Economic Integration and Law in Africa, the 2018 African Union Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Rights of Residence and Establishment is not a secondary addendum
to the AfCFTA. Instead, he described the protocol as the operational catalyst
necessary for the successful execution of the continental trade agreement.
Ladan argued that true market integration is impossible if goods move freely while the human capital required to support that trade remains restricted. He specifically identified several roles that are often hindered by protectionist labor laws, border barriers, and restrictive visa regimes, including:
- Cross-border traders and entrepreneurs
- Service providers and professionals
- Logisticians and creative artists
He stated that these individuals are essential to transport, innovate, service, and add value to the goods moving under the intra-African trade framework.
Economic Risks and Successful Models
The professor warned that when mobility is unduly restricted, the economic yields of the AfCFTA shrink. He noted that such restrictions force informal trade into precarious corridors of extortion
and cause corporate supply chains to fragment.
To illustrate the benefits of removing these barriers, Professor Ladan cited Rwanda, Kenya, and Ghana. In these nations, he observed that the use of unified payment rails, digital single windows, and automated identity systems has created economic environments that are secure, safe, and highly productive.
Ladan concluded that for Africa to realize the promise of its massive market, member states must abandon defensive border paradigms
and instead treat regulated free movement as a primary engine for growth across the continent.
Broader AfCFTA Implementation Efforts
The call for movement protocol ratification coincides with broader efforts to accelerate AfCFTA implementation. Dr. Wamkele Mene, the Secretary-General of AfCFTA, recently stated that negotiations on legal instruments have concluded, shifting the focus toward implementation across member states. By the end of March 2026, more than 10,000 certificates of origin had been issued under the agreement.
Recent projections indicate that Africa’s total trade is expected to grow by approximately 10 percent in 2026, with intra-African trade projected to reach about 230 billion dollars. To support this, Dr. Mene has urged member states to integrate the AfCFTA into their budgets and development plans, establish national implementation committees, and ratify any outstanding protocols.
In Nigeria, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole has pledged that the country will prioritize concrete actions to drive industrialization and digital trade. Nigeria has already operationalized an AfCFTA coordination office and developed a national implementation strategy to ensure execution across the government.
Worth a look
