AfCFTA chief calls for value addition to Africa’s resources
Patience Okala, the National Coordinator and CEO of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, has urged African countries to stop exporting raw materials and instead focus on value addition. She emphasized that this shift is crucial for Africa to benefit fully from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). According to Okala, the AfCFTA is not just about removing tariffs but also about driving industrialisation and job creation. She highlighted the importance of effective implementation and collaboration among governments, regulators, and the private sector.
TLDR
- Patience Okala stressed that Africa should prioritize value addition over raw material exports to maximize AfCFTA benefits.
- She stated that AfCFTA aims to promote industrialisation, value addition, and job creation across Africa.
- Okala noted that Nigeria is working to implement the agreement, including creating simplified AfCFTA guides in six languages.
- She called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, and the private sector to remove trade barriers.
- The success of AfCFTA, according to Okala, depends on practical implementation and access to new markets for businesses, especially MSMEs, women-owned enterprises, and young entrepreneurs.
