By Robert Egbe
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Olasupo Shasore has advised Nigeria that aligning public and private interests as well as building strong partnerships is key to delivering market opportunities and addressing regulatory gaps for a successful implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Shasore, who noted that the role of the private sector to support and enhance governments’ efforts towards upholding free trade can not be overemphasised, urged that free trade within the African continent must be maintained no matter what.
The former Attorney-General of Lagos State – Africa’s fifth-largest economy – spoke during a town hall meeting hosted by Africa Law Practice (ALP) firms, to discuss how governments can be supported in the implementation of AfCFTA.
Shasore, reputed as one of Nigeria’s finest legal minds, noted that various private sector stakeholders must be patriotic enough to pull their resources towards ensuring AfCFTA implementation, so as to enjoy its opportunities in equal measure.
“As the government is striving to uphold AfCFTA, the private sectors must align with the interest of the government and partner with it, to tighten all loose ends as it pertains to policy, regulation and implementation of the tents of AfCFTA
“Just like I pulled all resources working with ALP to launch this town hall meeting for the private sector, all institutions, be it private or public, must be ready to do the same for a progressive AfCFTA”. – Shasore said.
He admonished the government not to relent in exploring the new market while providing lasting solutions to policy challenges for Africa’s Private sector and businesses bound by AfCFTA.
The Nation reports that the town hall meeting was graced by Clare Akamanzi of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Dr. Muda Yusuf of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Abdel-Hamid (Hamid) Mamdouh at King & Spalding and Emily Mburu-Ndoria of AfCFTA.
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