Nigeria, RwandAir partner on air cargo corridor, slashes export rates to under US$2/kilogram
The under US$2 per kilogram rate makes Nigerian agricultural products competitive in East and Southern African markets.
NIGERIA – Nigeria has partnered with RwandAir to extend its East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor to Kigali, Harare, and Lusaka, with cargo rates set at under US$2 per kilogram for all five destinations.
Before the corridor’s establishment, many Nigerian exporters moving time-sensitive cargo faced freight costs ranging from US$3 to US$10 per kilogram for goods sent to East and Southern Africa.
One Year of Progress Under AfCFTA
On Africa Day 2025, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment launched the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor in partnership with Uganda Airlines, offering tiered and discounted rates of up to 70% below those of other commercial carriers for goods exported to Entebbe, Nairobi, and Johannesburg.
One year later, on Africa Day 2026, the Ministry announced a partnership with RwandAir that extends the corridor to Kigali, Harare, and Lusaka, giving Nigerian exporters a second carrier option on the Nairobi and Johannesburg routes.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said: “One year ago, we promised that the AfCFTA would work in practice for Nigerian businesses, not only on paper. We set out to solve a practical problem: Nigerian businesses have goods that African markets want, but cargo costs are too high. This corridor has kept that promise.“
Export Growth and High-Impact Sectors
Nigeria’s non-oil exports to other African markets rose from US$150 million in 2024 to US$207 million in 2025. The corridor is expected to particularly support exporters in high-growth sectors, including agribusiness, fashion and textiles, cosmetics, light manufacturing, and processed foods.
For fresh produce exporters and logistics operators, the under US$2 per kilogram rate makes Nigerian agricultural products competitive in East and Southern African markets. Agribusiness shipments of processed foods, spices, and dried fruits can now reach Kigali, Harare, and Lusaka at predictable, affordable rates.
Government Collaboration and Implementation
The partnership is an immediate outcome of the cooperation framework established during the bilateral meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda at the 13th Africa CEO Forum in Kigali on 13 May 2026. The RwandAir partnership will be formally launched in June 2026.
As the RwandAir partnership launches in June 2026, Nigerian agribusinesses gain affordable access to East and Southern Africa’s fastest-growing consumer markets, fostering economic integration and industrial diversification across the continent.
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