FG Recalibrates Trade Negotiation Architecture to Protect Nigeria’s Economic Interests

FG Recalibrates Trade Negotiation Architecture to Protect Nigeria’s Economic Interests

By Our Reporter

Abuja (Core Reporters) ‎ The Federal Government has commenced the recalibration of Nigeria’s trade negotiation architecture to ensure that the country approaches bilateral, regional, continental and multilateral trade negotiations with clear objectives, credible evidence, coordinated institutions and a firm focus on national economic interests.

‎The Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at the Stakeholders Engagement on Nigeria’s Trade and Investment Negotiation Architecture, stressing that trade policy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda must support industrial development, expand non-oil exports, enhance competitiveness and create jobs.

‎Dr. Oduwole explained that the reformed Enlarged National Focal Point (ENFP) on Trade Matters would now operate as the Nigeria Trade Negotiation Architecture (NTNA), with the Trade Department and the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN) serving as Co-Technical Leads, while the designated Secretariat would coordinate the negotiation portfolio, records and action reports.

‎According to her, the new architecture would introduce monthly reporting, quarterly stakeholder engagements and designated focal officers from participating institutions to strengthen coordination, institutional continuity and accountability.

‎The Minister emphasised that an effective negotiation system must go beyond institutional structures to embrace rigorous preparation, reliable data and meaningful consultation.

‎She therefore called on the private sector, labour, academia, MSMEs and other stakeholders to provide concrete information on market opportunities, trade barriers, competitive advantages and potential vulnerabilities to enable government negotiators develop positions that adequately reflect Nigeria’s economic realities and priorities.

‎Dr. Oduwole also announced plans to strengthen the Commercial Officer cadre to provide market intelligence, trade-policy analysis and support for Nigerian businesses operating in international markets.

‎She clarified that investment negotiations under the International Investment Agreement Negotiation Team would remain a distinct track, while stressing that the overall objective was to establish a coordinated, evidence-led, commercially informed and accountable system capable of protecting Nigeria’s interests and positioning Nigerian businesses to compete effectively in regional and global markets.

‎Providing the background to the reform, officials explained that the Enlarged National Focal Point for the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in 2001 as a national consultation mechanism within the then Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry to coordinate Nigeria’s trade-related engagements.

‎The ENFP brought together government institutions, private-sector organisations, academia, professional bodies and other stakeholders, providing technical advice, facilitating consultations, harmonising negotiating positions and supporting Nigeria’s bilateral, regional, continental and multilateral trade engagements.

‎However, its operations over the years were affected by challenges including a large and dispersed membership, irregular meetings, changes in institutional representation, weak follow-up and record-keeping, as well as overlaps with other trade-related institutions.

‎The recalibration initiated by Dr. Oduwole is designed to retain the inclusive character of the former ENFP while introducing clearer technical leadership, reporting lines, institutional responsibilities and accountability.

‎Under the proposed arrangement, the Director of Trade would chair the architecture, with relevant departments providing technical leadership and the designated Secretariat maintaining the negotiation portfolio, institutional records and action reports.

‎The Commercial Officer function would also be strengthened to support policy analysis, negotiation preparation, stakeholder coordination, reporting and institutional knowledge management.

‎The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, represented by Mr. Simon Omo-Ezomo,Head Special Duties Department welcomed Stakeholders to the engagement and conveyed the Minister’s directive providing the basis for developing the proposed Nigeria Trade and Investment Negotiation Architecture.

‎He said the framework was expected to comprise the National Trade Coordination Platform and the National International Investment Agreement Negotiation Team, with a designated Secretariat responsible for coordination.

‎The Permanent Secretary said the engagement was convened to examine how the proposed mechanism would operate in practice, with presentations and discussions focusing on membership, responsibilities, terms of reference and the status of ongoing negotiations.

‎He urged participating institutions to make concise and practical contributions, identify areas of overlap or uncertainty and indicate the technical support they could provide.

‎Each participating institution is expected to nominate two focal officers to improve continuity, strengthen information exchange and support the quality and timeliness of Nigeria’s trade negotiations.

‎He added that the Trade Negotiation Department would document the deliberations and develop an action matrix assigning responsibilities and timelines, expressing confidence that stakeholders’ contributions would produce a practical, coordinated and responsive framework for advancing Nigeria’s trade and investment interests.

‎Also speaking at the engagement, the National Coordinator Nigeria AFCFTA Coordination office,Mrs Patience Okala, who provided an update on the AfCFTA category-band B and C classification led by the ECOWAS Commission, said negotiations on the three tariff categories had reached an advanced stage, with the Commission proceeding with the transmission of the agreed Category B and C lists to the AfCFTA authorities.

‎She recalled that, following the October 30, 2020 ECOWAS memorandum, the ECOWAS Commission was mandated to finalise the draft ECOWAS Common Schedule of Tariff Concessions, incorporating the 73 tariff lines agreed by the Ministerial Committee on Tariff Concessions comprising Ghana, The Gambia, Nigeria and the ECOWAS Commission.

‎She explained that Category A covers 90 per cent of tariff lines, while Category B covers sensitive products and Category C covers products on the exclusion list.

‎ While Category A was initially required during the early phase of AfCFTA implementation, the implementation process now requires the full complement of Categories A, B and C.

‎According to her, the ECOWAS Commission has finalised the Category B and C listings following the directive of the ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry at their meeting in Accra, Ghana, and in line with decisions of the 18th AfCFTA Council of Ministers.

‎The development, she noted, represents an important step in completing the tariff concession process and advancing the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

‎The Federal Government said the stakeholder engagement would ultimately strengthen the institutional framework through which Nigeria develops, coordinates and advances its trade negotiating positions, ensuring that the country’s expanding participation in regional and global trade is supported by evidence, technical expertise, stakeholder input and clear institutional accountability.