THE Nigeria Bar Association Section on Business Law, NBA-SBL, has promised to examine the desirability or otherwise of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, at its 12th annual conference in Abuja this month, which Nigeria withdrew from signing.

Chairman of the Section, Mr. Olumide Akpata, flanked by the vice-chairman, Mr. Seni Adio, SAN, the chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, CPC, Mr. Okey Egbuchu who addressed newsmen on activities lined up for the conference, slated for between June 27 and 29 in Abuja, said that the event which will  be of international standard, will examine the issue critically.

He noted that fears had been expressed by stakeholders not only in Nigeria but other countries in respect of the AfCFTA regarding issues of dumping, limitation of the ability to manage tariffs, loss of revenue, influx of persons and so on, culminating in Nigeria tactically withdrawing from signing the AfCFTA due to those concerns expressed by stakeholders such as organised labour and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN.

He said:  “The Federal Government is currently engaging stakeholders and we have provided platforms at our conference for the Federal Government, the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and other African countries to dialogue with stakeholders on the AfCFTA and more.”

On programmes lined up for the event themed: Bringing Down the Barriers – the Law as a Vehicle for Intra-Africa Trade, the CPC chair, Egbuchu said speakers and panelists from all over the world sourced from government, corporate, regional bodies such as ECOWAS, law firms and law societies and other professions, will do justice to many topics spanning 12 sessions.

According to him: “Some of these Speakers are: George Lipimile, the Czar of the COMESA Competition Commission; Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Nigeria’s Chief Trade Negotiator, Dr. Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration and Trade Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Chief Chidi Ajaegbu, founder and Chairman, Chisco Transport Limited, Samallie Kiyingi, General Counsel, Africa Export-Import Bank, Haresh Aswani, Managing Director, Tolaram Group, Nigeria, Linus Gitali, Executive Chairman, Tropikal Brands (Africa) Limited from Kenya, Yemi Candide-Johnson, SAN, president of the Lagos Court of Arbitration. It will not be a lawyers’ conference without some controversy and hence, we have assembled eight legal pugilists to slug it out in a debate session. The audience will be the judge. After the debate session, we will rock the closing party featuring Davido.”

He explained that NBA-SBL is in partnership with the executive arm of the Nigerian government through Presidential Enabling Business Executive Council, PEBEC and the National Assembly through National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable, NASSBER, in the ongoing review of our laws, regulations and procedures to enhance the ease of doing business.

Noting that the conference will get a tangible outcome as usual, Egbuchu said that the results of previous conferences have led to the improved ranking of Nigeria in the World Bank ease of doing business index.