By Naomi Uzor & Favour Efughi

The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has urged lawmakers to match words with action and give Nigeria a competition law before the end of this year.

File: National Assembly Complex

Speaking at a Walk for Competition Bill in Lagos, the Director General of NECA, Mr. Segun Oshinowo, said that “although the bill has passed the second reading in the House of Representatives, it does not give any room for cheers as previous attempts to pass this bill even surpassed this stage before it was ‘abandoned’, so to speak.”

“We therefore, urge the lawmakers to match words with action and give Nigeria a competition law before the end of this year. We also call on the Federal Government to revisit the Draft Competition and Consumer Protection Policy Document and approve it as a matter of urgency. It is this Policy that sets out the goal of promoting competition in the economy. We further call on the Federal Government to mainstream competition in broader areas of economic development such as trade and industrial policy, investment policy, privatization and deregulation policy, etc,”  he said.

He noted that with the ongoing reforms in the economy and the privatisation and liberalisation programmes that have been pursued over the past few years, it is important that these programmes are supported with the appropriate regulatory measures and laws to ensure that they deliver real benefits to the citizens.