Hafsat Ibrahim
FG, World Customs Train MAN, NACCIMA on AfCFTA Rules of Origin
The Federal Government has conducted an Advanced Workshop on AfCFTA Rules of Origin for key trade-facilitating agencies and the Organized Private Sector of Nigeria to ensure they maximize the benefits of the cross-border trade.
Speaking recently during the workshop in Abuja, the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, said the multi-sectoral training organized in collaboration with the World Customs Organization (WCO) under the EU-WCO Rules of Origin for Africa Programme and facilitated by the Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of the CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Mr. Awolowo, represented by the Technical Director of the AfCFTA Rules of Origin Implementation Project in Nigeria, Mr. Olusegun Olutayo, emphasized that the workshop is a key part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to expand cross-border trade and foster inclusive growth within the AfCFTA market, a move projected to boost Nigeria’s GDP by 40% by 2030.
“In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate, we are driving AfCFTA implementation through capacity building for businesses, raising experts who understand the application of the AfCFTA Rules of Origin,” said Awolowo.
“This training is part of a broader initiatives that the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office is rolling out nationwide. Our goal is to demystify AfCFTA instruments for our businesses, enabling them to master product-specific rules, ensure compliance, and gain market access across Africa,” Awolowo explained.
The Representative of WCO, Faith Mathenge, emphasized the importance of bridging the human capital gap for successful cross-border trade, stating that the cross-sectoral capacity building in Rules of Origin will propel Nigeria into the next level of trade, including intra-African trade, as well as trade with Europe and the rest of the world.
She added, “The EU-WCO Origin for Africa Programme is committed to supporting the capacity-building needs of the Nigerian Customs Service and its stakeholders, including providing any required technical assistance.”
Participants in the Advanced Workshop on AfCFTA Rules of Origin were drawn from across the Organized Private Sector, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), and Federal Ministry of Finance among other critical stakeholders.
SIGNED: Olusegun Olutayo, Project Technical Director and Senior Trade Expert Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office
Source: EconomicConfidential | Read the Full Story…
