A Scoping Review of the Gendered Implications of the African Continental Free Trade Area for Women-Led Manufacturing SMEs in Nigeria, 2010–2025

This scoping review addresses a critical gap in understanding the gendered implications of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. It systematically maps and synthesises existing evidence to clarify the opportunities and risks this landmark agreement presents for female entrepreneurs, who are vital to, yet often marginalised within, regional industrialisation. The study is conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework. This involves a rigorous search strategy across academic databases and grey literature sources, with clear eligibility criteria for selecting peer-reviewed articles, policy documents, and forward-looking analyses from 2010 onwards. The temporal scope accommodates policy projections up to 2025, with the search strategy explicitly designed to identify such prospective studies. The processes for data charting, collation, and thematic reporting are detailed. Findings reveal a dualistic potential: while the AfCFTA offers avenues for market expansion and value chain integration, it also threatens to exacerbate gendered barriers, including limited access to finance, complex non-tariff measures, and restrictive logistical challenges. The review concludes that without deliberate gender-responsive policy interventions, the agreement risks reinforcing existing inequalities. It underscores the urgent need for targeted support and further research to ensure the AfCFTA contributes to equitable and inclusive economic growth in Africa.