Adimula leads groundbreaking African continental free trade study
By Idris Alooma
An Associate Professor at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Dr Ruth Abiola Adimula, has led a groundbreaking study, which examined the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on West Africa.
The research, titled “Impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement on Women Cross-Border Traders in West Africa,” was conducted in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team consisting of Prof. Adebusuyi Adeniran of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Dr. Catherine Atinuke Adegoke, an Ilorin-based Management Consultant; and Ayodeji Adeyemo, who is a legal practitioner based in Canada. The study has been published in a Q1-ranked international journal, African Renaissance Studies, by Taylor & Francis Online—underscoring its global relevance and scholarly impact.
Beyond assessing awareness levels of AfCFTA and documenting the lived experiences of women cross-border traders, the study also delivers robust, actionable policy recommendations.
These recommendations are directed at national, regional, continental, and global stakeholders, with a clear objective of bridging the gap between AfCFTA’s policy framework and its practical realities for women engaged in cross-border trade across West Africa.
This landmark study contributes meaningfully to the ongoing conversations on inclusive trade, gender equity, and the operationalisation of AfCFTA—positioning women cross-border traders at the centre of Africa’s economic integration agenda.
