The European Union (EU) has continued
its push to get Nigeria endorse the controversial Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA), insisting that with globalization, Nigeria cannot live
in isolation as it will hurt her economy.
The propriety or otherwise of Nigeria signing into the EPA has since pitched manufacturers and other members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) against the EU, with most of them insisting that signing the agreement as it is presently will hurt the manufacturing sector and the economy generally.
But the EU appears unimpressed by such argument and has, therefore, continued its push to get Nigeria ratify the EPA deal. At a dialogue session on Nigeria International Trade Relations organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), last week, Head of Trade & Economics of the EU in Nigeria and West Africa, Fillippo Amato, said Nigeria has nothing to fear as far as EPA is concerned.
He said the EU has shown goodwill with the release of 12 million euro to support the enhancement of the National Quality Infrastructure, to improve quality, safety, integrity and marketability of Nigerian goods and services.
He wondered how smaller African countries such as Ghana, Rwanda,
Gambia, Cameroun, Mauritania and the Southern African countries have
signed on as a result of improved quality of production as against
Nigeria with her large population.
On how Nigeria can tap into the European market, Amato said it is only through the improvement of her production processes.
Nigeria is already loosing so much by the rejection of beans and other export products to the EU because of the presence of a pesticide known as dichlorvos, which is harmful to health. Amato regretted that more than 70 percent of beans exported to the EU from Nigeria contained pesticide.
The EU boss, however, stated that that EU is working with the relevant government agencies to address the problem.
Some of the agencies include the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) among others.
While noting that there is no short cut to standardization, he said Nigeria must do all within her means to improve on her products both for export and internal consumption. He said the EU has 100 per cent immediate market opening for products from West Africa and 75 per cent gradual market opening over a 20 year period for products from the EU.
LCCI President Mrs. Nike Akande while denouncing multiple charges on manufacturers by the regulatory agencies urged government on the need for diversification. She stated that no country is fully self-sufficient, urging the government to come out with consistent and sustainable policies on trade relations.
“Our huge population is a plus for investors. Return on Investment (RoI) is one of the highest globally, but as a country we need to strengthen our competitiveness by creating an enabling environment on the supply side,” Akande said.
The propriety or otherwise of Nigeria signing into the EPA has since pitched manufacturers and other members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) against the EU, with most of them insisting that signing the agreement as it is presently will hurt the manufacturing sector and the economy generally.
But the EU appears unimpressed by such argument and has, therefore, continued its push to get Nigeria ratify the EPA deal. At a dialogue session on Nigeria International Trade Relations organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), last week, Head of Trade & Economics of the EU in Nigeria and West Africa, Fillippo Amato, said Nigeria has nothing to fear as far as EPA is concerned.
He said the EU has shown goodwill with the release of 12 million euro to support the enhancement of the National Quality Infrastructure, to improve quality, safety, integrity and marketability of Nigerian goods and services.
On how Nigeria can tap into the European market, Amato said it is only through the improvement of her production processes.
Nigeria is already loosing so much by the rejection of beans and other export products to the EU because of the presence of a pesticide known as dichlorvos, which is harmful to health. Amato regretted that more than 70 percent of beans exported to the EU from Nigeria contained pesticide.
The EU boss, however, stated that that EU is working with the relevant government agencies to address the problem.
Some of the agencies include the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) among others.
While noting that there is no short cut to standardization, he said Nigeria must do all within her means to improve on her products both for export and internal consumption. He said the EU has 100 per cent immediate market opening for products from West Africa and 75 per cent gradual market opening over a 20 year period for products from the EU.
LCCI President Mrs. Nike Akande while denouncing multiple charges on manufacturers by the regulatory agencies urged government on the need for diversification. She stated that no country is fully self-sufficient, urging the government to come out with consistent and sustainable policies on trade relations.
“Our huge population is a plus for investors. Return on Investment (RoI) is one of the highest globally, but as a country we need to strengthen our competitiveness by creating an enabling environment on the supply side,” Akande said.
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