Realizing the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area could bring the continent's combined economy to $29 trillion by 2050, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima said while speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
"By 2050, Nigeria's population will surpass that of the United States, becoming the third most populous nation on earth at 440 million people," Shettima stated.
Shettima emphasized that the African Continental Free Trade Area embodies Africa's shared destiny and its potential to lead in the post-industrial knowledge age, despite earlier missed opportunities in agriculture and industry.
He noted Africa's rapid digitalization, citing 220 million telecom subscribers and 163 million internet users in Nigeria alone, which he believed "provides us with immense opportunities to empower our people."