AfCFTA: Journalists warn against making Nigeria a dumping ground

The Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN) Abuja has advised the Federal Government against making Nigeria a dumping ground for goods as a result of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
In a statement to officially unveil plans ahead of the 2021 CICAN Annual Conference scheduled to take place on the 15th of October, 2021 in Abuja, signed by the Chairman of the Association, Mr Frederick Idehai, the Association urged Nigeria to take full advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA to ensure growth and national economic development.
He also called for the support of all stakeholders towards repositioning the nation’s economy.
Mr Idehai emphasised the need for Nigeria to quickly diversify her economy through the export and promotion of local and agricultural commodities among other quality policies and initiatives stating that the conference would equally recommend to the authority ways of strategies to adopt in getting it right.
The Chairman who expressed concern over difficulties experienced by Small Scale Business owners as a result of the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic commended the various interventions of the Federal Government especially through Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, MSME’s Survival Fund to cushion the devastating effect.
The 2021 CICAN Annual Conference with the theme “The Role Of Nigeria’s MSMEs, Export, Commodities, Trade and Investment In Stabilizing The Post COVID 19 Economy: Issues and Challenges” and sub-themes:
* “The Place of AFCFTA in Nigeria’s Economic Diversification Plan: Pros & Cons”.
* “FG’s MSMEs Survival Fund: Successes, Lessons, Pitfalls” would be declared open by the Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment.
Dignitaries expected to attend the conference include some State Governors, Chief Executives under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and other stakeholders.