THE Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations, NOTN, is committed to the process of creating market opportunities for the Nigerian economy. The office said Nigeria is ready to build partnership and expand the constituency for trade and investments as engines for growth of the Nigerian economy.

As directed by the Presidency, the NOTN conducted a nationwide, sectoral and industry wide consultation and sensitisation exercise on the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, from March 15 to June 14. It stated that the process of nationwide sensitization was transparent and substantive.

“We set a standard for openness.  Complex technical issues were explained, rigorously to both government and private sector stakeholders.  It was a hugely beneficial exercise in the sustained efforts by government to explain, consult and, in turn, improve understanding on trade-related competitiveness issues.

“The adopted communiques, factual summary and autonomously submitted communiques attest to the rigour and scope of the exercise.  These outputs have been submitted to the government and shall be posted on the website of the NOTN.  A total of twenty-seven (27) groups were consulted in dedicated meetings, including NACCIMA, NASME, MAN, FESPAN, RIPAN, PAN and the NLC.

“The sensitization exercise also included meetings within consultative forums in all the 6 geopolitical zones, involving one thousand seven hundred and fifty-one (1751) persons. The results of consultations with Stakeholders in the 6 Nigerian Geopolitical Zones were reflected in five communiqués and one factual summary, openly, and transparently adopted and available to the public,” it said.

The Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations also invited inputs from the entirety of the Nigerian public and private sector inputs to accompany the submission of autonomous inputs to the government.  The request for inputs was called for through radio, TV, daily newspapers and social media.  Eleven private sector stakeholders, autonomously, submitted signed inputs to the federal government of Nigeria.

– Jun. 29, 2018 @ 10:39 GMT |