Thread by @ProfOsinbajo

It is well over 7 months since the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was signed in Kigali, Rwanda, on 21st March 2018.

The AFCTA is probably the most significant Pan African trade agreement in this generation. Its impact on commerce will also arguably be, the most profound of any agreement we have yet agreed to on the continent.

We are possibly the largest market in Africa today and most likely to benefit the most or lose the most from the implementation of the agreement.

Nigeria has had an on-going internal process and the purpose of Nigeria’s domestic process of sensitization and consultations has been to engage with stakeholders, systemically, robustly and constructively.

In this 8-month long exercise, approximately 34 groups and associations were sensitized and consulted, 3,500 natural persons were engaged directly...

...5 Communiqués were adopted and signed in Nigeria’s 5 geopolitical zones with a Factual Summary issued in Lagos, codifying the substance of the consultations for the South West Geopolitical Zones.

12 private sector groups submitted inputs, autonomously, conveying their group positions on the AfCFTA, in response to the nation-wide call for inputs.

The process has been and remains serious, diligent, transparent and the subject of democratic scrutiny of evaluation.

Expectedly, the sensitization made evident diverse views and positions. While most stakeholders support AfCTA, there are some stakeholders that are concerned about its impact. They take the view that caution be exercised with thorough preparedness.

You can read a bit more of what I shared at the Africa Trade Forum here 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

yemiosinbajo.ng/afcfta-nigeria…