Tinubu Restates Commitment to Promoting Ease of Trade for SMEs in Africa

President Bola Tinubu has restated his administration’s commitment to promoting ease of trade for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Africa.

Tinubu gave the assurance during the Africa International Trade Exhibition (AITE) 2023’s Business, Trade and Investment Summit on the sideline of the 78th edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The Chairman, Organising Committee for the Business, Trade and Investment Summit component of the exhibition programme, Mr. Tunde MacAlabi, made this known in a statement on Monday.

The summit was organised by MacAlabi; the President of Nigerian Progressive Professionals, Prof. Tai Balofin and the Chief Executive Officer of K-Pro Consulting of New York, Ms Khuraira Musa.

Represented by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, Tinubu assured investors that the Federal Government would take the necessary steps to ensure the ease of trade in the country.

Earlier, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, urged both foreign and local investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s huge population, traffic and thriving aviation market to invest in the sector.

Keyamo pointed out that world-class Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities would be a good area for investors to consider first.

According to him, there are not many MRO facilities in West Africa, a situation that makes domestic airline operators ferry their aircraft, only to queue overseas for two months or more for their aircraft maintenance.

Also, Musa, who is the author of ‘The Audacity of an African Girl’ and President of the Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI), said the purpose of the event was to woo investors to invest in Nigeria.

”We want to have industries in Nigeria to process and manufacture our raw materials in the country to give job opportunities to our youths and women.

”To continue allowing our raw materials to be exported and paid next to nothing for it will continue to keep our people in poverty.

”We want Nigeria to change the way they have been doing business. We are confident that the outcomes of this gathering will have a lasting impact on the economic landscape, not only in Nigeria but also across the globe,” she said.

In attendance were the FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmud; Senator Ireti Kingibe; wife of Osun State Governor Titiola Adeleke, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, and Ambassador Adeyinka Asekun, among others. (NAN)