By Chika Okeke
As Nigeria marks the 66th Independence anniversary, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole has insisted that negotiations on trade must support industrial development, non-oil exports, competitiveness and job creation under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Oduwole, who revealed this on Wednesday in Abuja, at a Stakeholders’ Engagement on Nigeria’s Trade and Investment Negotiation Architecture, stated that the reformed Enlarged National Focal Point on Trade Matters provided a foundation for broad consultation but required improvements.
The engagement was designed to discuss with stakeholders on the proposed Nigeria Trade and Investment Negotiation Architecture, comprising the National Trade Coordination Platform (NTCP) and the National International Investment Agreement Negotiation Team (NIIANT).
Oduwole identified delays, overlapping responsibilities, changes in technical representation and gaps in institutional records as challenges that weakened the previous structure.
The Trade Department and Nigeria Trade Negotiation Office (NOTN) will serve as co-technical leads, while Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiation (NOTN) will provide secretariat support.
Oduwole noted that the Trade Department and Director-General of the NOTN would brief her monthly on Nigeria’s trade negotiations, drawing from the negotiation register and institutional updates.
She said that the stakeholder engagements would be held quarterly, involving the government, businesses, labour, academia and other affected interests, enabling Nigeria to focus on economic needs rather than react to individual negotiations.
The Minister directed participating institutions to nominate two technically competent focal officers, comprising a primary officer and an alternate for continuity, pointing out that the Trade Department would lead policy analysis, institutional coordination, stakeholder engagement and monthly briefings.
Oduwole hinted that the negotiation preparations must consider Nigeria’s interests, counterpart positions, existing commitments, potential benefits and costs, and the limits of negotiating authority.
She encouraged the private-sector participants to provide empirical evidence and data rather than attend consultations merely as a requirement, assuring that the Ministry would strengthen the commercial officer cadre and expand its role in trade policy analysis, negotiation preparation and stakeholder coordination.
The Minister informed that trade and investment negotiations will remain separate as their legal frameworks and required expertise differ while the ministry will continue engaging with the stakeholders.
