The lack of improvement and deterioration in Nigeria’s export trade performance rankings such as measures of time and cost associated with exporting and importing a standardized cargo of goods reinforces the need for Nigeria to undertake urgent and extensive reform to improve its trading across borders performance. This research provides immediate, medium and long term reform options.
Associated resources
This report documents the strategic plan for the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) by Nigeria following a diagnostic review of the prevailing trade ecosystem including the participants (traders and service providers), the regulating agencies, prevailing policies, and processes as well as the level of regional integration.
The Trade Policy Work Stream started out by conducting a needs assessment to get direct feedback from export-oriented MSMEs, export-supporting government institutions, and export business service providers to ascertain the capacity gaps. The top 5 challenges highlighted by the respondents include lack of market linkages, lack of finance, lack of market intelligence, limited knowledge of destination country requirements, and Export documentation.
Respondents were further asked about what they would like to see if there is an opportunity for assistance with capacity building for export readiness and export market access. Each responded provided its top 3 areas of preference for capacity building. The findings from the overall assessment provided a guide on areas to address.
In response to their needs, TRD workstream designed a targeted capacity building for the non-oil export community of practice to address the knowledge and skill gaps through a 4-part Export Capacity Building (CB) Series.
This dialogue explores the alternative ways to provide market access to the southeast business hubs from Aba through Onitsha. COVID19 has caused businesses to reimagine their trade value-chain working actively to diversify roles. This dialogue explores ways that new technologies can help bridge the gap between buyers, sellers, and manufacturers.
Nigeria signed up to the AfCFTA on the 7th of July, 2019. This outlines how PDF contributed to the process that led up to the signing.
PDF II held a two-day capacity building training themed: “Capacity Building for Banks and DFIs”. This is designed to explore access to finance challenges, awareness campaigns, and opportunities that non-oil exporters face with banks in accessing finance. The capacity building covered topics such as Export Industry Regulations and Documentations, payment methods and trade finance instruments, Handling export finance options, managing export risks, understanding the franchising potential etc.
