FG inaugurates trade facilitation c’ttee ahead AfCFTA

By Innocent Raphael

As part of preparations for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, on Thursday, in Abuja, inaugurated the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NFTC) with the mandate to enhance seamless trade in and out of the country.

The minister noted that the Nigerian government, recognising the significant impact of NTFC in domestic and international trade activities over the years moved to utilise it as the National Monitoring Committee on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB) as the decision aimed to address trade barriers in Nigeria.

She added that the NTFC had made significant strides, especially with respect to the development and review of the National Trade Facilitation Roadmap.

In her words, “Subsequently, the document provides a framework for a National Trade Facilitation Reform Programme over a five-year period, aligning its activities with current realities.

“Equally important is the need to sustain the reforms that have improved Nigeria’s ranking in the World Bank’s ease of doing business index since the establishment of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) in June, 2016.

“These reforms aim to reduce the average import and export border compliance time, total average import and export cost, and the average number of required trade documents for imports and exports.”

The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the significance of trade facilitation in boosting economic growth and competitiveness.