AfCFTA: Adebayo charges Nigerians to promote made-in-Nigeria goods

Chinazor Megbolu |

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, has charged Nigerians to take advantage of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA) as it kicks off on January 1, 2021 to promote made-in-Nigeria goods.

He disclosed this in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ifedayo Sayo, noting the initiative offers new opportunities for industrial growth in Nigeria.

Adebayo called on Nigerian industrialists to take advantage of the AfCTA opportunities in a bid to promote made-in-Nigeria goods.

The Minister in the statement further buttressed that the country cannot afford to be left out of the emerging African economies, adding that AfCTA will form a $3.4 trillion economic bloc, which the nation must play a leading role.

He pointed out that the initiative is the world’s largest free trade area in terms of the 54 countries involved.

Adebayo maintained that kick off date will signal the beginning of the implementation of a single continental market for goods and services.

He added that in the course of the programme, there will be free movement of business persons and investments across the African continent.

“The journey started on July 7, 2019 when Nigeria became the 53rd African country to sign the AfCFTA treaty. Long before then, it had always been the dream of Nigeria and Africa’s founding fathers to unite the continent in one, shared prosperity.

“We have worked tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria not only partake as a signatory in name, but becomes a major trade and economic power house, even more than we have been within the ECOWAS sub-region,” Adebayo said.