By Mubarak Aliyu Kobi
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has urged Nigerians, particularly farmers, manufacturers, processors and small and medium-sized businesses, to take full advantage of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, ETLS, to expand their access to regional markets.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye made the call in Bauchi at a sensitization workshop on ETLS, organised to deepen stakeholders’ understanding and improve Nigeria’s participation in regional trade.
Represented by the Director of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ali Gombe, the Minister said the workshop was designed to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and skills required for effective implementation of ETLS and deeper economic integration within the West African sub-region.
He described ETLS as a key instrument for regional economic integration, providing preferential access to markets for qualifying products originating from ECOWAS member states, while supporting industrial growth, cross-border trade, MSMEs and economic development.
The Minister urged stakeholders to increase production and value addition, particularly in agriculture, saying the Northeast’s resources, including rice, millet, sorghum and groundnuts, provide significant opportunities for processing, domestic consumption and export to regional markets.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye further stressed the need for stronger synergy between ETLS and AfCFTA, urging participants to understand registration, certification and product approval requirements. He said the success of regional trade agreements should ultimately be measured by increased production, new markets, business expansion, job creation and tangible economic benefits for Nigerians at the grassroots.
Also speaking, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, represented by his Deputy, Muhammad Auwal Jatau, said the state was committed to economic diversification and creating an enabling environment for businesses to produce, innovate and create jobs. He called for practical measures to address delays at borders, multiple checkpoints, inadequate transportation infrastructure, non-tariff barriers and limited access to accurate trade information.
In his remarks, the President of the Northeast Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Ahmad Ishemi urged businesses across the region to maximise the opportunities provided by ETLS and the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA. He also called on government to adopt tariff policies that protect local production and enable Nigerian industries to compete effectively.
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