Says NOTN not addressing stakeholders concerns

By Yinka Kolawole

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has accused the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN) of not addressing concerns of stakeholders regarding the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), saying there is need for the federal government to appoint an independent national negotiator.

President of MAN, Dr Frank Jacobs, made this call at a press briefing in Lagos, yesterday, said that the concerns that necessitated President Buhari’s reservation of his signature at the Summit in Kigali are yet to be addressed. The manufacturers derided the situation whereby the Director General of NOTN, who is Nigeria’s Chief Negotiator, also doubles as Chairman of AU-AfCFTA Negotiation Committee, noting that it might result in conflict of interest. They therefore called for the appointment of an independent National Negotiator to represent Nigeria in negotiating an acceptable agreement.

President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Jacobs

“We are also worried that the Director General of NOTN “Chief Negotiator’ doubles as Chairman of AU-AfCFTA Negotiation Committee and may need to balance allegiance to both Nigeria and the AU-AfCFTA Negotiation Committee; as such, we implore the Federal Government to consider appointing a National Chief Negotiator that will be saddled with the responsibility of negotiating specifically for Nigeria,” Jacobs said.

He said while MAN applauds the Federal Government for nationwide consultations and sensitization programme on the matter through the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN), the outcomes of the stakeholders’ engagements as reported by NOTN do not adequately reflect the overall proceedings and factual expressions at the meetings.

Jacobs stated: “We are now even more worried that, in spite of the widespread concerns that necessitated Mr. President’s reservation of his signature at the Summit in Kigali, the subsequent activities of the NOTN was not tailored towards addressing those concerns. Rather than squarely addressing those critical issues, all efforts were geared towards extolling the laudable objectives of the AfCFTA, its potential benefits and what Nigeria is expected to benefit from its implementation.

“From the period preceding the Kigali Summit and up until now, the content of the Nigerian offer has remained unknown to manufacturers who are the number one stakeholders to be positively and or negatively impacted by the proposition. It is noteworthy to say here that MAN had requested for this vital information severally, including when the Chief Negotiator led his team to the MAN House as part of the consultation/sensitization programme.”

The manufacturers called on the government to urgently commission and conduct studies on Export Market Discovery; National Economic and Industrial Priority; and a study to determine the Impact of AfCFTA on the manufacturing sector in Nigeria.

The MAN President noted that AfCFTA is a good project that will benefit Nigeria if properly negotiated; noting however, that the starting point of an effective AfCTFA negotiation is the recommended studies, robust consultations and proper representation of manufacturing and the private sectors at all National and Continental AfCFTA negotiation meetings.