Director-general of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiation (NOTN), Yonov Agah, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s disadvantaged position in foreign trade, saying the largest African economy is held up in anti-trade bias engineered by bad government policies.
Agah who is Nigeria’s chief trade negotiator said there is a need for national conversations on how the nation can get rid of the anti-export challenges.
“Unfortunately, for us in Nigeria, we have been caught in the anti-export bias,” Agah said when he received a delegation of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) on a courtesy visit to his office on Wednesday.
“When government policies are not government-oriented, they create rents. And businesses like rents because it’s cheap money.”
The visit was to seek the support, guidance, collaboration and participation of NOTN on how to shape conversations around the proposed summit with the theme: ‘Trade and Non-oil Export: Changing the Narratives for National Development.’ The special focus is on the AfCFTA to have a truly engaging and definitive 2-day summit. African Development Bank President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina would be the keynote speaker at the event, among other speakers. There will also be high-level discussions at the summit. – Leadership
