Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signs an agreement ahead of the lauching of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), during African Union summit in Niamey, Niger July 7, 2019. Nigeria Presidency/Handout via Reuters

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has signed up to the $3 trillion Africa free trade agreement, a spokesman confirmed on Sunday.

As the largest economy on the continent, Nigeria’s decision to sign the deal was a boost to the pact. It was one of the last countries to commit to the deal.

In signing the deal at the African Union summit in Niger, Buhari called on the continent’s nations to band together to attract investment, grow local manufacturing and combat smuggling.

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) aims to unite 1.3 billion people, creating a $3.4 trillion economic bloc that could usher in a new era of development.