AfCFTA implementation begins as MAN trains exporters

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s Export Group has trained local exporters as eight African countries begin exporting under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement’s Guided Trade Initiative.

The Punch reported that this information was presented by the MANEG Chairman, Mrs. Odiri Erewa-Meggison, at a two-day training session for exporters on Tuesday in Lagos.

The training was organized by MANEG in collaboration with British American Tobacco Nigeria, Rite Foods, Spectra Industries, Indorama Group, Gongoni Company, Cadbury Nigeria, and Guinness Nigeria.

According to Erewa-Meggison, MANEG is committed to enhancing the capacity of its members to fully comprehend the free trade agreement and profit from its advantages as the government works to assure the country’s participation in the AfCFTA.

According to her, the Guided Trade Initiative within the eight state parties that have satisfied the minimal requirements for trade under the agreement has already begun the practical implementation of the AfCFTA in September 2022 with the export of coffee products from Rwanda to Ghana and the export of Exide Batteries from Kenya to Ghana.

“Rwanda, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Tunisia are among the state parties. These countries are already using the GTI without Nigeria.”

She claimed that MANEG was hopeful that Nigeria will be one of the state parties taking part in the platform. That, she added, influenced her choice to work with the National Action Committee-AfCFTA secretariat to train exporters and provide them with the information they need to trade under the AfCFTA.

She claimed that the training was part of the efforts to reposition MANEG to serve in its capacity as the foremost and best-known advocacy organization for non-oil export promotion in the country.

“MANEG is eager to collaborate with important public and private sector stakeholders to promote and protect the interests of Nigeria’s non-oil exporters.”