FG seeks partnership with African countries for AfCFTA success

The Federal Government has advised the West and Central African countries to join hands for the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

While speaking during the closing ceremony of the 43rd Council and 18th Managing Directors’ Roundtable of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa in Lagos, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdalene Ajani, seeked a collective action for the success of AfCFTA.

She said, “One Africa certainly is possible, and I urge us all to be active participants in that journey. We can only make collective progress when we work together to continue sharing experiences and best practices among ourselves. If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together."

She further advised the participants to turn discussions into actionable plans, assuring them that Nigeria, under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, would prioritise the development of the maritime sector.

She said, “In the interest of Nigeria’s strategic interests and our common economic goals as a region with similar challenges and aspirations, the administration will continue to prioritise the development of the maritime sector."

The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, earlier explained the interconnectedness of West and Central African countries.

According to him, “Our geographical reality of interconnectedness and interdependence makes cooperation a necessary precondition for the collective advancement of our Ports.”