NIMASA, NASME, NEPZA, NiTDA, Others attend inaugural Nigeria-Côte d’Ivoire Business Roundtable and Exhibition

Oru Leonard 

As the Federal Government of Nigeria led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, continues to seek ways to strengthen the economy and develop a strong base for the nation the African Charter of Free Trade.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Director of Economic Trade and Economic Department, Ambassador Akinremi Bolaji convened the maiden edition of the Nigeria-Côte d’Ivoire Business Roundtable and Exhibition hosted by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). 

Amb Bolaji said the Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire must work together achieve to a synergy for maximum productivity.

According to him, Nigeria in particular must work on value addition with Cote d’Ivoire, in the production of products like cashew and Cocoa.
“We are working with the Raw Materials, Research and Development Council and other agencies to ensure that value addition become the central matter for us. If not, we’ll just be at a very low pace where our products are taken for free”.
“Nigeria is a blessed county, we have great potential. All we need to do is to develop the capacities of our people, of our industries and then move forward. Tomorrow, Nigeria would be the dream country and become an industrial nation”, he stated.

Bolaji disclosed that there is the urgent need for ECOWAS to harmonize all regulations for easy trade relationship between the subregion.

“Although ECOWAS has been working on ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) but it’s really not working. We must make it to work. The Africa Continental free Trade is here, yet our industries are not keyed into it. We need to get Manufacturer Association of Nigeria to be in tandem with MASMEs. We need to get the Ministry of Trade, a Minister of Foreign Affairs, to work together in the area of investment. Economic diplomacy belong to Foreign Ministry, Trade belong to Minister of Industry, but all of them have to work together. So this is an attempt to make sure that we increase productivity”, he added.

Professor (Amb). Aderemi Ajibewa, a consultant in Political Economy and International Relations, in his keynote address, commended the organizers and officials of the Federal Government, and H.E. Yusuf M. Tuggar, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, for anchoring the roundtable aimed at fostering strategic partnerships and collaborations between the private sectors of Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.

Ajibewa noted that there is unparalleled potential that emerges when two nations with rich cultural heritage and entrepreneurial prowess unite for mutual prosperity. He emphasised the importance of synergy and listed key areas such as trade facilitation through the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and Common External Tariff (CET), agricultural advancements, educational exchanges, and infrastructural development as crucial sectors for bilateral cooperation.

However, he acknowledged challenges inherent in the path to success as, regulatory disparities, trade barriers, infrastructural deficiencies, and limited bilateral cooperations, but expressed optimism in the transformative power of collaboration to surmount these hurdles and drive sustainable growth.

The accompanying exhibition showcased the diverse talents and capabilities of both nations, serving as a platform to not only exhibit achievements but also foster avenues for mutual growth through partnerships and knowledge exchange.

Dr. Ajibewa concluded with a call for inclusive growth and social responsibility, envisioning a future where the partnership between Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire serves as a global model for successful bilateral cooperation.

Senior International Trade Policy & Law Expert, National Action Committee on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Mr Olusegun Olutayo called for accelerated action from Nigeria to benefit among the committee of nations in Africa.

Zonal Vice President (North- West), Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), pleaded with the FGN to increase funding support for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises to improve processing and packaging of the products and services..

Speaking also, the Representative of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), the Director (Investment Promotion & Investors’ Services), explained some benefit and urged foreign and domestic investors to leverage on the liberalized policies of the Federal Government to invest in NEPZA across Nigeria.

Highlight of the event was the exhibition of made in Nigerian goods at the venue.