Ecobank Reiterates Commitment to Make Adire Industry Leverage AfCFTA

Nume Ekeghe and Oluchi Chibuzor

Ecobank Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to ensure that Nigeria’s adire industry leverages the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Speaking at the third edition of the annual Ecobank ‘Adire Lagos Experience’ in Lagos, the Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Kola Adeleke, said they are committed to make merchants exhibiting at the fair leverage the Africa trade pact.

The event, which is expected to run from 14th to 17th of June, 2024 at the ultra-modern Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC), would see 100 exhibitors showcase locally processed adire attires made by indigenous designers.

“Like after the program, these 100 merchants, we are going to work with them and partner with them. We are going to capacity build them with them. We are going to even see the opportunity for them to improve on the quality of whatever they are producing so that it makes it exportable. Because ultimately, our goal is to ensure that Adire becomes like an African brand.

“So, this for me is very unique for us as an organization. It’s very unique, it’s very important because it will help to grow this economy as we see the export potential there. So, we are going to get all these merchants on the eco-bank single market trade hub and then expose them so that they will  be able to export their products to other countries in Africa, “he said.

He said Ecobank Nigeria is driven by the ambition to support the creative sector of the economy.

Speaking, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ogun State, Dr. Fagbayi Oluwasesan, said there is a need to promote adire culture to help improve the sector.

“We must ensure that the indigenous adire producers get all the necessary support to improve production capabilities and sales.”