The Federal Ministry of Affairs has moved to deepen Nigerian businesses’ access to opportunities around the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) through the ECOWAS Trade and Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, speaking at the sensitisation workshop organised in Bauchi for North East business associations, entrepreneurs and chambers of commerce and industry, said that the event was themed, “Increasing Intra-Regional Trade through ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).
Enikanolaiye said that the workshop was anchored on Nigeria’s 4D foreign policy framework, which places Nigerians at the centre of foreign policy.
“The government wants to take foreign policy closer to citizens, particularly businesses and entrepreneurs at the grassroots.
“The initiative will educate Nigerian businesses on opportunities within ECOWAS and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The workshop will be held across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, beginning with the North-East, before moving to North-Central, North-West, South-South, South-East, South-West and Abuja.”
According to him, emphasis is placed on industrial value addition, increased production and job creation for young Nigerians.
