African exporters and entrepreneurs are set to benefit from a new package of UK trade reforms known as the Trade for Development,which was unveiled on July 10, 2025.
According to a statement issued by Onyinye Madu, Press Officer at the British High Commission in Abuja the scheme is designed to simplify access to the UK market and strengthen economic ties between the UK and developing countries.
Upgrades include simplified rules of origin, which will enable all Developing Countries Trade Scheme (DCTS) countries, including those further up the value chain, such as Nigeria, to source inputs on finished goods from across the African continent, while ensuring that goods can continue to enter the UK tariff-free.
“This is expected to support trade not just with the UK, but between African countries, helping to unlock the African Continental Free Trade Area’s $3.4 trillion potential,” the statement said.
Last year, over £3.2 billion worth of goods imported into the UK from African countries benefited from preferences granted by the UK’s development trading arrangements.
Reacting to this development, UK Minister for Development Jenny Chapman said“the world is changing. Countries in the Global South want a different relationship with the UK as a trading partner and investor, not as a donor. These new rules will make it easier for developing countries to trade more closely with the UK. This is good for their economies and for UK consumers and businesses.”
Also reacting, UK Minister for Trade Policy Douglas Alexander, said “No country has ever lifted itself out of poverty without trading with its neighbours. Over recent decades trade has been an essential ingredient in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty around the globe.”
In addition to the Developing Countries Trade Scheme (DCTS) changes, the UK will be providing targeted support to help African exporters meet UK standards and navigate customs procedures.
The UK will also make it easier for partner countries to trade services – such as digital, legal, and financial services – by strengthening future trade agreements.
The updated rules are part of the UK’s wider Trade for Development offer which aims to support economic growth in partner countries while helping UK businesses and consumers access high-quality, affordable goods, the statement said.
They also align with the UK’s new Trade Strategy, which prioritizes growth through global partnerships and future-facing markets.
Launched in 2023, following the UK’s exit from the EU, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) is the UK’s flagship trade preference scheme, covering 65 countries and offering reduced or zero tariffs on thousands of products.
The UK is committed to growing services trade with developing countries, supporting digital trade and professional services.
The announcement follows engagement with UK businesses and international partners, major importers and trade associations.
