The overall objectives of the agreement are:[20] Nigeria was one of the last nations to sign the agreement. With 200 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and has about the population of the second and third most populous countries in Ethiopia and Egypt, each of which has a population of about 98 million. With a nominal GDP of $376 billion, or about 17% of Africa`s GDP, it is just ahead of South Africa, which accounts for 16% of the African economy. Given that Nigeria is such an important country in terms of population and economy, its absence was particularly striking when the agreement was first signed. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stressed this in comments on July 12, 2018, commenting: "The continent is waiting for Nigeria and South Africa. Trade between us will allow us to keep more resources on the continent. South Africa then signed the agreement. [52] On July 21, 2018, five other nations, including South Africa, signed the agreement. . . .