New Telegraph

FG To Address AFCFTA Bottlenecks To Boost Agro Exports

The Federal Government has promised to address bottlenecks hampering the smooth take off of African Continental Free trade Area, AfCFTA, agreement as it targets manufacturing and agric sector exploits.

The Minister, Industry Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, confirmed government’s readiness to iron out some grey areas that have prevented its take off at a workshop on the implementation of AFCFTA on onboarding of Businesses, Exporters via Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) in Abuja recently. GTI is an integral part of the AfCFTA, which aims to facilitate and enhance trade activities by providing businesses and exporters with the necessary tools, knowledge, and support, especially in the arras of agric and others.

Adebayo said GTI recognised the critical role that the private sector plays in driving economic development, and also to empower enterprises of all sizes to fully capitalise on the benefits offered by the AfCFTA in the country. In a remark, Executive Director CEO Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Ezra Yakusak said the workshop jointly organised by the Council and the AfCFTA, Coordinating Office, couldn’t have come at a better time in view of the declaration by the Heads of States and Government of the Year 2023 as the year for “acceleration of AfCFTA implementation.

He said the programme was aimed at enlightening, educating, networking and test run- ning the agreement on select companies from Nigeria as the key objective of the event is to kick-start the process of preparing Nigerian exporters/ businesses for onboarding to the guided trade initiatives.

“The NEPC as the apex organization for the development and promotion of non-oil export is strategically positioned to assist in providing the right platform for Nigerian companies to gain access in major markets especially in Africa in line with the objectives of AfCFTA,” he further stated.

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