Nigeria To Ratify Trade Negotiation Template In June

The Director-General of the Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN), Amb. Yonov Agah has disclosed that the country will have a final template to be deployed for it’s trade negotiations by June this year.

Amb. Agah said it was important for the country to have a substantive template to actualize its goal for the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement by getting it right and adding value to the Nigerian market.

The DG stated this at the closing ceremony of the “National Intensive Trade Negotiations Simulation Skills Course” organized by The Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN) in collaboration with ODI & UKaid for Nigerians selected from MDAs, OPS, and Civil Society Groups in Abuja on Friday.

Highlighting the relevance of the workshop on Nigeria’s trade, he said “Trade is about creating opportunities for businesses to benefit whether it is developing or developed economies as trade outcomes is expected to benefit all parties involved.

“Therefore, the target of the training is for Nigerians to benefit from trade negotiations that’s why we have relevant stakeholders including the media so that Nigerians will be better educated on the process involved in both domestic, regional and international trade.,”

The DG continued by saying that “The Workshop is about consultation processes involved before, during and after trade procedures which is why relevant stakeholders are here including the legislators because in the process of implementation, there may be need to amend laws and when the lawmakers are paparticipantsthey will be better informed,”

The DG further stated that the NOTN will continue organizing such workshops in the areas of investments, intellectual property and agriculture.

Also speaking, the representative of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Trade, Senator Dame Nora Daduut said from her assessment of Nigeria’s stand in African trade, the training will serve as a good avenue to equip stakeholders with the skills needed to improve trade implementation processes.

She added that “The National Assembly through the relevant committees will provide the necessary support to bolster Nigeria’s trade as particpants have shown Committment in driving Nigeria’s trade ambitions on the continent,”

Also in his submissions, representative of the World Trade Organization, Prof. Dickson Yeboah said the major achievements of the Programme is the fact that particpants have been exposed to the new ways of negotiations in trade services which will attract more investments to boost the economy.

He believes that trade negotiation skills is crucial in both regional and international trade which the training has impacted on particpants as Nigeria continues it’s quest to derive maximum benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

In the same vein, the director of research at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Oluwasegun Osidipe said the workshop has gathered virtually all the stakeholders to reset the national negotiations mandate to ensure that the knowledge gap is closed and improve efficiency in trade implementation.