‘Nigerian trade policy not reviewed in 18 years’

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

The Acting Chief Trade Negotiator, Director General, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiation (NOTN), Victor Liman disclosed yesterday that Nigerian trade policy has not been reviewed in the past 18years.

Liman disclosed this while addressing reporters in Abuja, assuring that “the review and update is in progress as the agency is partnering the ministry on this.”

According to him, “updating and review of the trade policy cannot be done by an individual; it involves all sector of government. It has to capture every component of every relevant critical trade policy involving all sectors; this is the only way to have a balanced trade policy.

Liman noted that this was among the reasons the countries trade policy had not been reviewed since 2002, insisting that there was the need for trade policy roadmap, adding, that  “we are to manage, coordinate and lead all trade negotiations. This should scale up manufacturing and make Nigeria one of the largest economies in the world.”

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The Acting DG said the country cannot operate smoothly with a policy that was last reviewed in 2002 in the 21st century.

“That is why we are calling on stakeholders for their input, we also need to constantly update the nation’s trade treaty to reflect topical issues within the continent.

“In terms of past agreement, when we came on board we created an observatory that all trade related policies, laws, ECOWAS, WTO and others will now be in one place so that whenever an information is needed one can go to the observatory click and get it,” The Acting DG said.