By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Nigeria Customs Service, Tin Can Port Command has identified limited infrastructure and insecurity as major hindrances to trade in the African continent.
Customs Area Comptroller, Tin Can Port, Dare Nnamdi stated this at an event leading to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), popularly known as Ecofair, recently in Lagos.
Nnamdi regretted the low level of trade among African countries, which he said currently stands at roughly 14.4 percent despite the continent accounting for 63 percent of the global population.
He said the customs was not comfortable with the low level of trade among African countries, pointing out that ports globally operate 24 hours and that Nigerian ports should also operate 24 hours.
Nnamdi also stressed that the Nigerian Customs considers trade a significant tool for the development of any country and that security operative takes seriously Nigeria’s trade with the continent and the West African region, especially now that the country is translating to becoming a major exporting nation.
The Tin Can Port Controller further regretted that vessel communication is very poor in Africa, and called on investors to invest in the area so as to promote vessel movements.
“We think trade among African countries should be higher, coming back to West Africa, we think it should be higher too, considering that among the West African countries, our current population accounts for the majority of the 355 million people. Trade in West Africa is trade in Nigeria,” he stated.
Earlier, the Chief Executive of Ecofair, Ejarkaminor Riicolins, posited that his organisation was promoting intra-Africa economic integration through several economic activities across the supply chain.
He noted that the Ecofair was birthed in Ivory Coast and has held three previous editions, saying Nigeria is on the verge of holding the fourth edition which comes with four major events.
He also pointed out that the fair is a four-in-one event with several activities. He said: “I found out that most parts of Lagos do not sleep and they are not doing business. So, we want to transition it to making money by doing business.
“We are not only inviting ECOWAS countries. We are inviting over 40 countries to participate in the various events of the fair and these people will bring to the doorsteps of Nigerians those things they would have gone seeking for a visa to get.”
In his keynote address, Christophe Bazivamo, Rwanda’s high commissioner to Nigeria said AfCFTA stands as a testament to the continent’s collective vision.
This years Ecofair, which has its theme as ‘Economic Potential of AfCFTA on Commerce and Trade in Africa’, is expected to showcase goods, services, and investment opportunities and is scheduled to hold between September 6th to 15th, 2024.
He, however, expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team for their support in providing an enabling environment to strive.
“We thank the CGC for his support, especially the ongoing training of officers and men of the command, which has impacted this revenue collection for January,” he concluded.