AfCFTA: implementation should be complementary to activities of chambers of commerce
- By Jerry Aguigbo
The Nigeria Customs Service have said that the implementation of the African free trade agreement should be complementary to the activities of the various chambers of commerce of participating countries even as they await further
information and directive from the National Action Committee on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), especially on the list of duties and charges waived for liberalized goods under the regional trade agreement.
The much talked about AfCFTA implementation came into effect January 1, 2021, even as the Nigeria Customs prepare for its implementation, the service have reeled out some salient measures which must be addressed for a seamless and successful AfCFTA .
In a press statement by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Joseph Attah, the NCS, we gathered, is expecting list of the 90 per cent liberalized National Trade Offers, 70 per cent non-liberalized exclusive goods at the regional level, 3 per cent non-Liberalized sensitive goods and the appointment of a competent authority responsible for issuing and authenticating certificates of origin and registering enterprises and products within the region.
The Nigeria Custom Service he revealed, are fully committed to the success of this trade initiative. “The service recommends that each member country should have a representative in the continental chamber of commerce to ensure transparency within the body thereby generating confidence in the system.
This, in our view, should be complementary to the activities of the various chambers of commerce of each country in the region. While awaiting clear directives concerning tariffs for all goods covered by this agreement, we want to assure the public of our preparedness to fully deploy our services at the shortest notice. Our desire is to imbue trust in the system while guaranteeing the economic safety and wellbeing of businesses within the country,”he concluded.