Develop a synthesis to summarise all items negotiated under AfCFTA – NANTS

The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) has called on the Trade Ministry to develop a synthesis that summarises all items negotiated on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement to clarify implementation.

This was disclosed by the President of NANTS, Dr. Ken Ukaoha, in a statement addressed to the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo,  in Abuja.

NANTS urged that since Nigeria agreed to ratify the deal which went into effect on the 1st of January, the FG should start a sensitization program for private stakeholders, citing that the trade office should also help with clarifying the implementation through a synthesis for all items.

“For this reason, we request that you cause the Ministry, or the Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN), which has been responsible for AfCFTA negotiations so far, to develop a synthesis which summarises all items negotiated on AfCFTA.

“Such articulated documentation that captures all the thematic issues should be produced and made available to all key stakeholders. It would help stakeholders to have a clear and up-to-date understanding of the subject so that they can use the same to engage in thorough and effective sensitization of their members”, Dr. Ukaoha said.

Ukaoha added that the synthesis is reviewed in a tabular form which specifies the subject issues and Relevant Protocols of the agreement. He added that private sector stakeholders also have a job of educating members on outcomes, requirements, and visions of the agreement.

NANTS urged that the synthesis should enable identification of actions and roles and also track the impact of the implementation of AfCFTA, which would enable the Ministry to be one step ahead for the amendment of the African Free Trade Deal in 5 years.

“This benefit is in addition to the improvement of stakeholder’s knowledge-base, which is very key to proper and effective implementation of the AfCFTA,” NANTS said.

Also, the Market Traders Association of Nigeria (MATAN) commended the Nigerian Government for its role in the inauguration of the secretariat for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in Ghana.

MATAN advised Nigerian manufacturers and SMEs to take advantage of the agreement to boost Nigeria’s trade leverage in the continent, and also urged for harmonization of laws to prevent trade disputes with members of the agreement.

The sister union in Ghana, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) made a similar request last year calling for public education on the protocols regarding trading under the AfCFTA.  

“I have been demanding some education, otherwise the expectation that they have is so huge that if care is not taken, we cannot even take off without encountering problems”, the President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association, Dr. Joseph Obeng said whilst speaking on ‘Eye on Port’.

He called for access to information by economic operators and the trading public for them to benefit from the single continental market and urged customs to embark on aggressive training programs that would educate the trading community on practices within the AfCFTA.

Dr. Joseph Obeng particularly asked for clarity in the rules of origin guiding the AfCFTA stating that it is a fundamental principle to the success of the regional trading pact.