AfCFTA : Regions to focus on specific products, services to enhance Nigeria’s trade
The National Action Committee on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) says it has achieved its objective of ensuring that regions will focus on specified products and services to enhance Nigeria’s trade in the AfCFTA.
The Senior Assistant to the President on Public Sector Matters and Secretary of the National Action Committee on AfCFTA, Mr Francis Anatogu stated this during a press briefing at the end of three-day Subnational Strategy Workshop organised by the National Action Committee on AfCFTA in partnership with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum in Abuja.
He stated that across the 36 states at subnational levels, there is an understanding of what the AfCFTA was all about.
Mr Anatogu said “We have also organised ourselves along regional line in our conversation so that every state knows what every other state is doing and we have already started seeing commonalities of what we are doing and in terms of the challenges that we faced, we have started sharing ideas on where we can work together”.
He noted that if the region’s focus on specific products and services, it will be easier to solve core issues of funding and value chain.
“We have commonalities in terms of where to play, where the priority products and services are, we have the understanding of capabilities we need to build and also went as far as patronising what to focus on”. He added.
Mr Anatogu disclosed that the National Action Committee on AfCFTA will work with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Economic Council to present 2022 work programme.
He added that there were tangible outcomes that the delegates will take to their states for further engagements with their governments to enhance smooth implementation of AfCFTA.